Neapolitan Pastiera- traditional Italian Easter Pie

Pastiera is deeply tied to southern Italian culture. Traditionally, it’s baked on Holy Thursday or Good Friday, allowing the flavors to meld before being served on Easter Sunday. Many families follow recipes passed down through generations, each claiming theirs is the most authentic.

Ingredients:

For the shortcrust pastry (for an 8-inch flared pastiera cake mold):

Type 00 flour: 2 ¼ cups (250 g)

Lard: 1.75 oz (50 g)

Butter: 1.75 oz (50 g)

Sugar: 2.75 oz (80 g)

Wildflower honey: 0.75 oz (20 g)

Eggs: 1 (60 g) - (medium)

Whole milk: 2 ¾ tbsp (40 g)

Lemon peel: 1

Orange peel: 1

Fine salt: 1 pinch

 
For the wheat cream

Cooked wheat: 7 oz (200 g)

Whole milk: ⅓ cup (80 g)

Butter: 1 ¾ tbsp (25 g)

Lemon peel to taste

Orange peel to taste

Fine salt: 1 pinch
 

For the filling:

Sheep's milk ricotta cheese: 7 oz (200 g)

Sugar: 6.3 oz (180 g)

Candied citron: 1.75 oz (50 g)

Wildflower honey: 1 tbsp (20 g)

Eggs: 2

Egg yolks: 1

Orange blossom water to taste

Whole milk: 1.3 tbsp (20 g)

Orange peel to taste

Lemon peel to taste
 

To garnish

Powdered sugar to taste
 

Preparation:

 
Step1.

To prepare the pastiera, start by preparing the shortcrust pastry dough.  On a work surface, sift the flour and add a pinch of salt to form a volcano, making sure you can see the work surface underneath in the center.
 
Step 2.

In the center, add butter, lard, and sugar.  Mix these 3 ingredients well by hand.
 
Step 3.

Continue to mix and add the honey, egg, milk, and citrus peels.
 
Step 4.

Continue to mix the ingredients in the center of the flour until you obtain a kind of soft batter.  Then begin to add the flour slowy and mix with the help of a dough scraper if needed.
 
Step 5.

   Shape the dough into a ball.  Lightly dust the work surface with a little flour.  Continue to knead the dough to make it completely smooth and homogenous.  Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for one hour.
 
Step 6.

While the dough is resting, prepare the wheat cream.  Pour the precooked wheat in a pan and add a pinch of salt.  Mash the wheat a little to make it uniform, pour in the milk and add the butter.
 
Step 7.

You can also add a piece of orange and lemon peel.  Bring it to the verge of boiling which will take just a few minutes.  Use a fork to mash the wheat as it cooks and continue to stir.  Once it is about to boil, turn off the heat and transfer the wheat mixture to a low and wide pan to cool.
 
Step 8.

In a separate bowl, add the drained ricotta cheese and sugar.  Stir until you obtain a soft cream, then let it rest in the refrigerator for about an hour.
 
Step 9.

After the time has elapsed, take out the cold wheat mixture and remove the citrus peels.  Place the wheat mixture in a large bowl.  Add the diced candied citron and stir briefly.
 
Step 10.

Take the bowl with the ricotta cheese and sugar, add the honey, stir, and add the wheat mixture.  Stir constantly to combine the ingredients.  In another bowl, add the eggs, yolk and orange blossom water.
 
Step 11.

Add the milk, zest a little bit of lemon and orange, and mix everything well.
 
Step 12.

Add this mixture to the ricotta cheese and wheat cream in two or three parts and continue to mix.  The filling is now ready.  Take the dough out of the refrigerator and divide it into two parts, one larger than the other.  Roll out the larger part on a work surface with a rolling pin.   Make sure they are both lightly floured until you obtain a thickness of 1/8 inch.  Roll dough around the rolling pin.
 
Step 13.

Unroll it over an 8-inch flared pastiera cake mold (no need to grease and flour).  Let it adhere well to the bottom and sides.  Remove the excess dough by passing the rolling pin over the edges.  Trim with a small knife and prick the base with a fork.
 
Step 14.

Place the filling inside, gently beat the mold on the work surface to eliminate any air bubbles.  Roll out the remaining dough and make seven ½-inch thick strips.  Place the first four strips over the filling reaching over the edge of the pastiera mold in a diagonal direction.  Then add on top of the 4 trips the other 3, again reaching over the edges, to create a grid pattern.  Then eliminate the excess dough.  The pastiera is now ready to be baked in a preheated static oven at 360 degrees F.  Bake for 50-55 minutes on the lowest rack.
 
Step 15.

Take the Neapolitan Pastiera out of the oven.  When it has completely cooled you can either remove it from the mold or serve the cake from it.  Sprinkle a little powdered sugar just before serving.

 

Buon appetito!