Our mother, Marie-Francoise Di Ruocco, ready a Pastiera di Grano each Easter at Carlo’s request. The Neapolitan custom of this Easter dessert — a really moist “wheat pie,” is believed to have originated in a convent in Naples, with the eggs representing new life and citrus blossom flavors representing springtime. On Easter Monday, the remaining pie was packed up with different vacation leftovers for a relaxed, informal outing on Pasquetta, the Monday after Easter. Our due to Andrew Chaney, Pastry Chef of the now-closed Oliveto in Oakland, for maintaining this Pastiera true to our mom’s recipe.
PASTRY DOUGH INGREDIENTS
- 600g flour
- 200g/1¾ stick unsalted butter, softened
- 200g sugar
- 3 eggs
INSTRUCTIONS
1 – Mix flour, butter, and sugar.
2 – Add eggs separately, working each into the dry components by hand.
3 – Knead till very easy.
4 – Permit to relaxation for 1-2 hours.
FILLING INGREDIENTS
- 700g recent ricotta
- 350g sugar
- 6-7 eggs
- Zest of two oranges
- 150g candied lime or lemon, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 drops orange flower water
- 580g (1 jar) grano cotto
INSTRUCTIONS
1 — Whereas dough rests, mix ricotta and sugar in a big bowl.
2 – Add eggs and blend nicely.
3 – Add vanilla, orange peel, and candied citrus and stir.
4 – Add grano. Mix nicely.
5 – Roll dough combination between 2 sheets of wax paper till it’s ¼ inch thick or much less.
6 – Line pan with dough permitting ½-¾ inch further across the prime. Later, this can be folded over to
present an edge for the filling.
7 – Reduce strips of remaining dough and put aside.
8 – Pour filling into the pie shell.
9 – Fold prime fringe of dough over the filling.
10 – Criss-cross the highest with dough strips.
11 – Bake at 350ºF for 1 hour and quarter-hour.
12 – Permit to chill.
13 – Mud with powdered sugar and serve.
NOTES
- A spherical pan is historically used. For finest outcomes, use a 9-inch spherical, 2-inch deep, ceramic cake or pie dish.
- Grano Cotto, pre-cooked wheat berries, could also be discovered on-line at some Italian specialty meals shops. A substitution could be a cooked quick grain rice, corresponding to Cal Rose, or barley.
