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Pastiera Napoletana a traditional Neapolitan Easter holiday pie. The filling is made of ricotta, wheat berries plus spices and candied fruit.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cooling time: 45 minutes
Servings: 10 people
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pastry Dough
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 10 tbsp unsalted butter, 1¼ sticks (room temperature)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 4 tbsp milk or water
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp lemon or orange zest
Filling
  • 1 pound whole milk ricotta (drained)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup cooked wheat berries (grano cotto)
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ tsp orange extract
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup finely chopped candied citron, candied orange rind, or candied lemon peel or a mixture of all, as desired

Equipment

  • 9-inch springform cake pan.

Method
 

Pastry Dough - Pasta Frolla
  1. Combine the dry ingredients in a food processor. Cut the butter into chunks and add it to the flour. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and milk/water together using a fork. Add this mixture to the food processor and pulse until the dough starts to form. Next, take out the dough from the processor, shape it into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate it for at least an hour.
Filling
  1. In a saucepan, combine grano cotto, milk, butter, vanilla, and orange or lemon zest. Cook over low heat for approximately 40 minutes, stirring regularly until the mixture reaches a creamy consistency. Once done, transfer the saucepan to the refrigerator and let it cool down for about 20 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer or beat by hand to blend the ricotta and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, candied fruit, orange blossom water, and cinnamon, and mix thoroughly.
    Gently incorporate the cooled grano cotto mixture into the bowl and combine it with the other ingredients. Set the mixture aside while you proceed to roll out the dough.
Assemble
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (180°C).
  2. Grease the base of a 9-inch (23cm) springform cake pan
  3. Take the pastry dough out of the refrigerator, divide it into two portions - ¾ and ¼ of the total amount. Begin with the larger piece and press it down to flatten, forming a rough circle. Lightly dust the pastry with flour. Roll out the larger piece of pastry between two sheets of non-stick parchment until it becomes large enough to fit the prepared pan. If the pastry starts to stick, you can dust it with a little more flour to prevent sticking.
  4. Carefully lift the rolled-out pastry using a rolling pin and unroll it into the prepared pan. Gently lift and ease the pastry to line the base and sides of the pan. If you encounter any tears or holes, simply patch them up; this pastry is forgiving and easy to work with.
    Next, scrape the prepared ricotta mixture into the pastry-lined pan and level it out. Trim away any excess dough just above the filling and set aside the reserved pastry dough for later use.
  5. Combine the remaining dough with the excess pieces, then press it together and roll it out between two pieces of non-stick parchment. Cut the rolled-out dough into strips that will fit the top of the tart. You'll need a total of 7 strips, with 4 going in one direction and 3 in the opposite direction.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 60 minutes or until it turns a lovely golden brown. The exact baking time might vary depending on your oven.
  7. Once baked, allow to cool completely. Before serving, dust the top with powdered sugar for an added touch.

Notes

Pastiera Napoletana will keep in the fridge for up to a week.