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Neapolitan Pastiera (Grain Pie)
The Neapolitan Pastiera is a sweet cake with a smooth and creamy texture, made with shortcrust pastry, eggs, and an aromatic mixture of wheat and ricotta.
vegetarian
oven
cake
dessert
traditional
Ingredients
Servings:
4

Ingredients

  • shortcrust pastry
  • 1 egg
  • 300 gall-purpose flour
  • 150 glard (or butter). Always 50% of the weight of flour we use
  • 75 gsugar (the amount can be adjusted to taste)
  • Stuffing: phase-1
  • 300 gCooked wheat (granno, in Italian)
  • 90 glard (or butter)
  • 100 gcandied fruit (orange and red cherries)
  • 40 gCorinth raisins
  • 1 orange (the peel once cleaned of the white part)
  • 1 lemon (the peel once cleaned of the white part)
  • Stuffing: phase-2
  • 2 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 300 gmató
  • 195 gsugar
  • 3 gcinnamon powder
  • 2 gvanilla powder
  • 1 teaspoonorange blossom essence (or millefiori essence)
  • Coating
  • 1 egg yolk for brushing
  • powdered sugar
Nutritional Information

Per Serving (Approx.)

Calories
1357 kcal
Protein
34 g
Fat
73 g
Carbohydrates
146 g

Disclaimer: These values are estimates based on ingredient types and may not be precise.

Step-by-step Guide

Preparation

Neapolitan Pastiera (Grain Pie) — Preparation
Preparation
  • Two days before the planned consumption day, place the necessary sugar and flour to make the shortcrust pastry in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator to reach the proper temperature.
  • The night before, chop the candied fruit into small pieces and macerate it in a bowl with a bit of liquor such as calvados, rum, or brandy; make sure the fruit is well covered by the liquor and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight.

Prepare Phase-1 of the Filling

  • Thoroughly wash the orange and lemon under running water. Carefully peel them, ensuring the peel remains as whole as possible, and remove all the interior white part that may be attached to the peel.
  • Cut the candied fruit into small cubes of approximately 5 mm on each side.
  • In a large bowl, mix the cooked wheat with the milk, the butter previously melted at room temperature, and the finely chopped orange and lemon peels.
  • Place the mixture in a saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes or until it reaches the consistency of a thick and smooth cream.
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately add the candied fruit cut into small pieces. Stir well to ensure all the fruit is well distributed throughout the cream.
  • Allow the mixture to cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent crusts from forming. Meanwhile, prepare the shortcrust pastry. Note: All the ingredients for the shortcrust pastry must be well chilled from the refrigerator. Note: The shortcrust pastry dough should NOT be kneaded; simply pinch it together.
  • Mix the flour and sugar in a large bowl and pour it onto the counter, forming a mound.
  • Make a well in the center of the mound and place the whole eggs in it.
  • Distribute the lard (or butter), also very cold and cut into small pieces, around the mound. Use a spatula to gently cut the lard and mix it with the flour without kneading.
  • With your fingers, pinch the flour with the butter and eggs until the mixture starts to hold together and forms a homogeneous dough, but Without Kneading.
  • When the dough is well integrated, shape it into a ball without compressing it too much.
  • Fraisage: use the palm of your hand to flatten the ball and stretch the dough towards three different opposing sides.
  • Twist the stretched ends over themselves and reform into a ball without pressing it too much between your hands.
  • Repeat the process of stretching and twisting three more times.
  • Divide the dough into two parts: one-third (1/3) and the other two-thirds (2/3) of the total dough. Shape into two balls, being careful not to compress them excessively.
  • Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and let them rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour before continuing with the recipe.

Prepare Filling Phase-2

  • In a large bowl, vigorously mix the sugar, whole eggs, and yolk for 3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and slightly foamy.
  • Add the ricotta cheese and continue stirring for an additional 2 minutes, ensuring it is well incorporated with the egg and sugar mixture.
  • Incorporate the orange blossom (or millefiori) essence, vanilla, cinnamon, and the zest of orange and lemon peel. Stir for 1 minute until all the aromas are well distributed.
  • Add the cooked wheat cream that we prepared in Phase-1 of the filling. Gently stir until all the ingredients are perfectly integrated.
  • Reserve the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes while we roll out the shortcrust pastry, allowing the flavors to meld well.

Roll out the shortcrust pastry and mold

  • Line the base of the mold with parchment paper. Grease the paper and the sides of the mold with butter and slightly flour it to prevent the dough from sticking.
  • Lightly flour the work surface and place the 2/3 ball of dough on it. Gently flatten it with the rolling pin, starting from the center towards the edges, to achieve an even layer.
  • When you have rolled the dough out to a size slightly larger than the diameter of the mold, generously flour the top surface of the dough and roll it around the rolling pin to facilitate its transfer.
  • Carefully unfold the dough over the mold so that it slightly overhangs the edges. This will allow for a perfect fit later.
  • Adjust the interior of the dough to fit the sides and corners of the mold, gently pressing with your fingers to avoid trapping air.
  • Remove the excess dough hanging over the edges of the mold using the non-cutting side of a knife or your fingers, creating a clean finish.
  • Prick the base of the pastry with a fork to prevent it from puffing up during baking. Make several holes evenly across the surface.
  • Reserve the mold with the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the dough strips for the lattice top of the pie. This will help maintain the shape of the dough during baking.

Roll out the strips of dough for the grid of

  • Lightly flour the countertop and place the 1/3 portion of the dough ball on it. Start flattening it with the rolling pin and turn it from side to side to facilitate stretching, ensuring it remains even. If you notice the dough sticking, lightly flour both the rolling pin and the dough.
  • When the dough's width equals the diameter of the mold, use a knife or dough cutter to cut it into an even number of strips approximately 2 cm wide each. Make sure the edges are straight and uniform to facilitate subsequent assembly.

Fill the Mold with the Filling

  • Half an hour before baking, preheat the oven to 175ºC to ensure it reaches the proper temperature when you need to use it.
  • Remove the mold and filling from the fridge at least 10 minutes before you start filling it so they can reach a bit of room temperature.
  • Using a ladle, fill the mold with the filling slowly, spreading it evenly to ensure it distributes better than if you pour it all at once.
  • Place the strips of dough on top at an angle, leaving an even space between each to achieve a more aesthetic appearance.
  • Then place the second set of strips in the opposite direction, creating a grid of small diamonds to give an attractive visual touch to the finished dish.

Bake

  • Preheat the oven to 180ºC and bake for approximately one hour, checking the doneness with a toothpick: if it comes out clean, the pie is cooked.
  • Allow the pie to cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before unmolding to ensure it does not break.
  • Before serving, dust powdered sugar evenly over the cake to give it a decorative touch and additional sweetness.
Recommendations & Tricks
  • The Neapolitan pastiera is a traditional cake for Easter, so plan ahead to have it ready for this special occasion.
  • Prepare the pastiera the day before consuming it so that the flavors have time to meld and intensify.
  • Since shortcrust pastry requires cold ingredients, place the sugar and flour in the refrigerator two days before using them to ensure they are well chilled when preparing it.
  • Use a 24 cm diameter mold to ensure the size of the pastiera is suitable for the quantities indicated.
  • When making the shortcrust pastry dough, make sure the lard (or butter) is well chilled and cut it into small pieces before incorporating it into the flour.
  • When preparing the dough, work it as little as possible to prevent gluten from developing and making it too tough.
  • If you're nervous about the process, look for a video tutorial to familiarize yourself with the visual steps before starting.