Italian Easter Cakes: The Pastiera Napoletana Recipe

PINOCCHIO'S FAVORITE ITALIAN RECIPES PASTIERA NAPOLETANA. (THE ITALIAN RICOTTA EASTER PIE)

Pastiera Napoletana is a traditional Italian dessert made with ricotta cheese and cracked cooked wheat. It originates from the area of Naples and it's a typical cake during Easter time.

The Pastiera Napoletana has to be cooked some days in advance, no later than Thursday or Friday, in order to allow the fragrances to mix properly and result in that unique flavor.

Recipe for 10 People

Ingredients for the filling:

• 420g ricotta cheese
• 420g sugar
• 6 eggs
• 580g REBECCHI Grano Cotto (Cooked Wheat) - (20.5oz)
• 1 PANEANGELI Fior d'Arancio Flavoring - essence for cake
• Lemon rind
• 50g mixed candied peel (cedar and orange-rind) 

Ingredients for the short pastry:

• 350g "00" Flour 
• 2 eggs
• 140g butter or lard
• 140g sugar
• pinch of salt

Preparation of filling for pastiera napoletana (10 people)

• Mix the ricotta cheese and pass through a sieve with the sugar until liquid 
• Mix ricotta cheese and sugar
• Whilst continuing to stir, mix in 6 egg yolks one by one
• add yolks to the mixture
• Add the cooked cracked wheat and lastly the bottle of any essence for cakes ( for best results you can add Millefiori essence).
• Put in a pot the pre-cooked wheat, milk, butter and grated lemon peel. Simmer everything on low heat, stirring until you obtain a thick cream. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and let cool.
• add all the cracked cooked wheat
• Mix well
• Add the grated lemon rind to the mixture along with the diced candied peel
• Finally beat the egg whites until stiff
• Stir the mixture until it is creamy and smooth.

Tip:  the quantity of filling is enough for 2 tarts: one large and one medium.

Preparation for short pastry for pastiera napoletana

• Prepare the pastry by mixing the flour, 2 eggs, softened butter or lard, the sugar and a pinch of salt, and stir just enough to produce a smooth, consistent dough.

Grease a baking dish with butter and line it with the pastry, pouring in the mix

• Decorate the pastiera napoletana with pastry mix cut into strips

• Bake the pastiera in a preheated oven at 180 degree approximately for one hour.

Let the pastiera napoletana cool and sprinkle lightly with icing sugar before serving.  Delicious at breakfast, as dessert or at teatime.

Buy the Ingredients for this Recipe on Pinocchio's Pantry