At the bottom of a tight staircase, in the basement of Sabatelle’s Market in Pittston, Jennifer Healey cuts and shapes Easter pizza dough before sending each circle through a rolling machine.
“There’s so much attention that goes into each one,” she said. “Checking the right consistency, then we push it through the dough roller so it saves our shoulders from doing it manually.”
Depending on the pliability of the black peppercorn speckled dough, Healey said she can get 20-22 pie crusts out of one batch - a good thing when Sabatelle’s has spent the week making upwards of 500 Easter pizzas to include in their customers’ traditional holiday meals.
Owner Jason Sabatelle said sales of the ham, egg and ricotta filled pies have steadily increased every year.
“We’re thinking we’re going to get close to 800 or 1,000 by the time it’s over,” he said. “It’ll be a heck of a week, and then we’re going to rest on Easter Sunday after mass.”
Lenten and Easter food traditions are a boon for restaurants and organizations throughout the region. While Sabatelle’s filled and baked pies, the scouts of Scouts BSA Troop 781 in Mountain Top prepared to host a Good Friday Fish Fry.
“My phone has been hopping quite a bit today,” said Heidi Ceklosky, one of the troop’s committee chairs. She’s been taking advance orders to be picked up on Friday at the American Legion Post 78.
“We’re hoping for about 300 meals to be served,” she said.
This is the first time the troop will benefit directly from this annual fish fry, but they’ve volunteered for it in the past. Ceklosky says the funds they raise will help the troop pay for activities like camping trips.
“There’s a large Catholic background in the area, and so many people are fasting from meat on Fridays during lent,” she said. “Good Friday is the biggest one.”
At Sabatelle’s, the meat-filled pies will likely not be enjoyed on Good Friday, but Sabatelle said many customers enjoy them throughout the weekend. He remembers doing the same with the ones his father would make.
“It’s all his recipes in the store,” Sabatelle said. “That’s why we’ve been doing so good for years, because we stick to it.”
Just before baking, each Easter pizza is “blessed” by Healey with a cross of dough.
“They’re all made with love, that’s for sure,” she said.
