Pastiera Napoletana Easter Recipe
There's No Easter in Naples Without This Sweet Grain and Cheese Pie
Pastiera is made three or four days before Easter Sunday so the different flavors can blend. Here is the traditional Neapolitan recipe for this delicious Italian cake
This delicious ricotta cheese and grain pie is a very old Neapolitan speciality for the Easter season. Pastiera is best enjoyed one to three days after it is baked, so the different flavors can blend into a heavenly mix. Therefore, pastiera is traditionally made on Good Thursday or Good Friday to be had as a dessert on Easter Sunday and each family hands down a 'secret' recipe from one generation to the next.
The preparation comprises two steps: the short pastry and the filling, followed by the baking.
Ingredients for the Short Pastry
- 1 cup, 4 Tbs. flour
- 5 oz. butter
- ½ cup confectioners' sugar
- 3 egg yolks
Method
Knead the flour, butter, sugar and eggs together quickly. Make a ball of the dough and let rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Ingredients for the Filling
- 1 cup whole-wheat grain
- 1½ qts. milk
- pinch cinnamon
- pinch vanilla
- 3 eggs, separated
- 3 oz. candied orange and lemon peel
- 1 lemon rind
- salt
- 1 Tbs. orange flower water
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 oz. butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 oz. powdered sugar
Method
- Soak the grain for about a week, changing the water daily.
- Drain and boil with fresh water for 15 minutes (In Italy the grain is available also pre-cooked and softened, in sealed plastic bags). Drain and put back in the pot with milk, lemon rind, cinnamon, vanilla, a pinch of salt, and 1 Tbs. of sugar. Bring to a boil, lower and cook over low heat until the milk is absorbed. Remove and discard the lemon rind.
- Pass the ricotta through a sieve into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar and beat until creamy. Add the two yolks, the grain, diced candied fruits, grated lemon peel, and the orange-flower water. Fold in the beaten egg whites.
Baking the Pastiera
Grease a 12" baking pan with butter and dust with sugar. Line with three quarters of the pastry. Roll out the remaining dough and cut into strips. Arrange the strips over the filling in a lattice design. Brush the strips of dough with egg yolk. Heat the oven to 375° F. and bake the cake for 1½ hours, until the filling sets and the crust is golden brown. Do not remove it from the oven immediately, but let it cool down inside. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving with a glass of sweet wine.
If required, the pastiera will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. It is also suitable for freezing.
Wine Pairing
Suitable wines to accompany Pastiera Napoletana would be:
- Erbaluce di Caluso passito
- Moscadello di Montalcino
- Passito di Pantelleria
- Tokaj Aszu 4 puttonyos
