Helia was not a blood relative of mine because she was my great-aunt’s sister-in-law. Strangely, however, both as a child and now, I did not care much about genetics and considered the people I liked or valued to be relatives. Aunt Helia has therefore always been my great-aunt from the Marches, who welcomed me in Porto San Giorgio with tons of French fries and kissed me all over.
Today I have her recipe book and every time I open it I discover new, simple, tasty, and even quick recipes to make.
Traditionally, at Easter the Roman breakfast is salty and includes leavened cheese pie to accompany boiled eggs, pecorino cheese, and corallina salami. Traditional pies are excellent but provide long leavening. When I don’t have much time, I prepare this great and quickly-made savory pie.

Aunt Helia’s cheese pie

  • Preparation time: 60 minutes
  • Ingredients for a rectangular 4 21⁄64-inch x 11 13⁄16 inch pan
  • Difficulty: Easy recipe

  • Ingredients
  • 12 oz or 400 g of flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 7 oz or 200 g of milk
  • 7 oz or 200 g of seed oil
  • 2 oz or 50 g of grated Parmesan
  • 4 oz or 100 g of grated pecorino cheese
  • 1 sachet of instant yeast for savory pies
  1. Instructions
  2. In a bowl, mix the eggs well with the milk. Add the sifted flour. Add the cheeses and then the sifted yeast.
  3. Pour the mixture into a rectangular 4 21⁄64-inch x 11 13⁄16 inch buttered and floured pan.
  4. Bake in a hot oven at 350° F for about thirty minutes.

Tips to ensure the success of the dish:

  • The instant yeast for savory pies is similar but not identical to that of desserts because there must be no vanillin.
  • The timing of cooking in the oven is indicative because each oven cooks differently.

 with Aunt Helia in Macerata