Best Pastiera Recipes

ITALIAN RICE PIE (PASTIERA DI RISO)

Steps:

• Make pastry dough:
• Pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Add eggs and pulse until just incorporated and dough begins to form large clumps.
• Turn out dough onto a work surface and divide into 6 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together, using a pastry scraper if you have one, and form into a thick log. Cut off 2/3 of the log and form into a large rectangle for the bottom of the pie. Form the remaining piece into a smaller rectangle for the top of the pie. Chill each, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Make filling:
• Bring rice and well-salted water to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain in a sieve and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well.
• Whisk together 3 yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl, then whisk in cornstarch and flour until smooth (mixture will be very thick). Bring milk just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, then gradually add hot milk to yolk mixture, whisking.
• Pour custard back into saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-low heat, whisking constantly (custard will become very thick), then boil, whisking, 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and chill, its surface covered with wax paper, until cold, about 2 hours.
• Stir together ricotta, custard, and remaining 2 yolks, then stir in zests, cinnamon, salt, and cooked rice.
• Assemble and bake pie:
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Generously butter a 13- by 9-inch metal baking pan and line the bottom with an overlapping double layer of foil, leaving 2 inches of overhang on both ends, then generously butter foil.
• Roll out 1 piece of dough between 2 sheets of wax paper into a 15- by 11-inch rectangle (about 1/8 inch thick). If dough becomes soft, chill or freeze until firm. Remove top sheet of wax paper and invert into baking pan, fitting it into pan. Chill shell. Roll out remaining piece of dough between sheets of wax paper in same manner. Cut 12 (3/4-inch-wide) crosswise strips (you will have a little dough left over).
• Spread filling in pan and arrange 6 strips, 1 1/4 inches apart, diagonally across filling, trimming ends to fit. Arrange remaining 6 strips, 1 1/4 inches apart, diagonally across first strips to form a lattice with diamond-shaped spaces. Trim lattice to fit in pan, then fold outside crust down over filling to make a border. Brush pastry with beaten egg.
• Bake pie until pastry is golden and filling is puffed and set, about 1 1/2 hours, loosely covering top of pie with foil after 50 minutes to prevent over-browning. Transfer to a rack to cool. When completely cool, lift pie out of pan using foil overhang and transfer to a platter.

MARIA'S EASTER (WHEAT) PIE/"PASTIERA DI GRANO"

Steps:

• ***PreparingThe Wheat: If"soaked" or"precooked" wheat is not available, dry wheat may be used.
• Cover the dry wheat with cold water (water should be about 2 inches over the wheat) and boil it for 15 minutes or until the wheat berries crack open.
• Remove pan from heat and allow wheat to soak for a full 24 hours.
• After soaking, drain well before using in steps#17-19.
• If"soaked"/"precooked" wheat is used, add the wheat to a pan of boiling water and cook it for about 5-10 minutes (most of the wheat berries should be open and they should be chewy but tender).
• Drain well, let cool and use for steps#17-19.
• Crust: Mix flour, sugar and lemon peel together in a bowl.
• Work butter into flour using your fingers (until it is the size of peas).
• Add eggs one at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon.
• Knead the dough lightly until it holds together well and clears the bowl.
• Form dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill it for about 1/2- 1 hour before using.
• Cream: Fill the bottom of a double boiler with enough water so that its insert doesn't quite touch the water; bring the water to a boil.
• Mix the whole milk, egg yolks, sugar, flour, lemon peel and citron together in the insert of the double boiler which has been set in to the bottom pan.
• Cook the"cream," stirring constantly until it has thickened and is the consistency of a thick pudding (about 20-30 minutes).
• Remove the insert from the boiling water and set aside to allow the"cream" to cool, stir occasionally to keep a skin from forming.
• Note: I sometimes put the insert pan with the"cream" mixture into a bowl of very cold water, to help it cool down faster, don't forget to stir it.
• Wheat: Add the (cooked, soaked, well drained) wheat to a saucepan with the milk and butter.
• Cook the wheat mixture, stirring occasionally until the butter melts, and mixture starts to boil; boil for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and let cool.
• Prepare Pans: On a lightly floured board, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/8 inch thick and line the bottom and sides of two lightly buttered 9-inch glass cake pans.
• Leave a 1/2 inch overhang of dough if you are going to use the lattice top.
• If not using the lattice, trim the overhang to 1/4 inch.
• Re-roll scraps and cut into 1/2 inch wide strips to use as a lattice top for the pie.
• (If you prefer, the lattice can be omitted.) Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Ricotta Filling: Mix ricotta, eggs, sugar and lemon peel together in a large bowl.
• Beat mixture by hand, with a wooden spoon, until smooth and creamy.
• Add the"cream" mixture and the wheat mixture to the ricotta filling, stirring until all is well blended.
• Pour or ladle the filling into prepared pans (to within 1/4 inch of the top of the pan).
• For The Lattice: place the strips of dough across the filling, spaced about 1 inch apart (at right angles) forming a lattice top.
• Fold the 1/2 inch overhang over the edges of the lattice and flute well.
• If not making the lattice top, fold the 1/4 inch overhang on to itself, and lightly flute.
• Bake pies in a preheated 350°F oven for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the bottom of the crust is light brown, the center is set, and the top of the pies are golden.
• Turn off oven and let the pies cool for an hour in the oven with the oven door slightly (about 2 inches) ajar.
• Remove pies from oven and place on a wire rack.
• When completely cooled, cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill until serving.
• If you like, you can give the pie tops a light sprinkle of powdered sugar before serving.
• Note: Its best to served this pie directly from the pan, as trying to plate the whole pie is more trouble than its worth, and causes breakage.

PASTIERA (ITALIAN EASTER TART)

Steps:

• Combine cooked wheat berries, milk, butter, and zest of 1 lemon in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until creamy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease an 11-inch springform pan or aluminum pan and line with one of the pastry crusts.
• Combine ricotta cheese, sugar, eggs, egg yolks, 1 tablespoon orange flower water, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor; mix until smooth. Mix in remaining lemon zest and orange peel. Fold in wheat berry mixture and pour over the bottom crust.
• Roll out remaining pastry crust and cut into 1/2-inch wide strips. Place on top of the pie in a lattice pattern and brush with beaten egg.
• Bake in the preheated oven until filling is cooked through and top is lightly browned, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Cool for about 30 minutes.
• Remove pie carefully from the pan and place on a serving plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

PASTIERA DI PASQUA (ITALIAN EASTER TART WITH RICOTTA)

Steps:

• Bring wheat grains, milk, butter, and 1/2 of the lemon zest to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat. Simmer until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 11-inch tart pan.
• Combine ricotta cheese, sugar, eggs, egg yolks, orange flower water, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Mix in remaining lemon zest and candied orange peel. Fold in wheat mixture and mix filling until well combined.
• Roll out 1 sheet puff pastry on a lightly floured surface so it will fit into the tart pan. Place pastry in the pan and spoon filling on top. Roll out the second puff pastry sheet and cut into 3/4-inch thick strips. Layer a lattice pattern on top of the filling and brush with beaten egg.
• Bake tart in the preheated oven until filling is set and lattice is lightly browned, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool inside the tart pan, at least 1 hour.
• Carefully unmold tart, transfer onto a cake platter. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

PASTIERA NAPOLETANA

Steps:

• For the Pasta Frolla, combine dry ingredients in food processor and pulse to mix. Cut butter into 8 pieces and add. Pulse to mix in finely. Add eggs and pulse until dough forms a ball. Remove from work bowl, wrap and chill dough.
• Soak the wheat in water to cover overnight if possible. Drain the wheat and place in a pan with salt and water to cover by 3 to 4 inches and simmer until tender, about 2 hours. Add water as necessary to keep from drying out and sticking. Cool and refrigerate until needed.
• For the pastry cream, combine sugar and flour in a small, non-reactive saucepan. Stir well to mix and add the milk, slowly, whisking it in smoothly. Whisk in the egg. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the pastry cream thickens and comes to a boil. Boil, stirring vigorously, about 1/2 minute. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and scrape into a clean bowl. Press plastic wrap against the surface and chill.
• For the filling, place ricotta in a mixing bowl and stir the cooled pastry cream to make a smooth, creamy mixture; stir in the sugar, eggs and remaining ingredients. Stir in the cooked wheat kernels.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and set a rack in the lowest level. Butter a 9-inch cake pan, 2-inches deep. To assemble, cut off 1/3 of the Pasta Frolla and reserve it. Roll the 2/3 of the dough into a 14-inch disk and line the prepared pan with it. Allow the dough to hang over the edge of the pan. Pour in the filling and sprinkle it with the cinnamon. Roll the remaining 1/3 of the dough into a 10-inch square. Cut it into 10 1-inch wide strips. Paint the strips with the egg wash. Moisten the rim of the dough on the pan with the egg wash, and adhere 5 strips in each direction, forming a diagonal lattice. Trim away any excess dough even with the top of the pan and push the dough all around off the top rim of the pan so that it is completely within the pan.
• Bake about 45 minutes, until the filling is set and the pastry is light golden. Cool in the pan before unmolding. To unmold, invert onto a flat plate, lift off the pan, replace the pan with another plate or platter, then re-invert, so that the Pastiera is right side up. Serve the Pastiera at room temperature.

PASTIERA

Steps:

• Make the crust: Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, eggs, melted butter and milk in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Lightly butter a 10-by-15-inch baking dish. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan in an even layer; set aside.
• Make the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ricotta, heavy cream, eggs and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Fold in the rice and orange zest with the rubber spatula.
• Pour the filling over the prepared crust. Bake until the edges are golden brown and set but the center is still slightly jiggly, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes. Let cool before slicing.

PASTIERA NAPOLETANA

Steps:

• Soak 100 g (3½ oz) farro or wheat grains (berries) in plenty of cold water, changing the water daily, for three days.
• For the pastry, put the flour, icing sugar, salt, orange zest and butter in a food processor and blitz to a fine breadcrumb consistency. Add the egg yolks to the mixer and blend again briefly, until the mixture comes together as a dough (add a tablespoon or two of iced water if the dough is still dry and does not come together). Form the dough into two equal rounds with your hands. Wrap in clingfilm (plastic wrap) and chill in the fridge or freezer, depending on when you want to use it. It needs to rest for at least 30 minutes in the fridge before you roll it.
• Grease a deep 23 cm (9 in) cake tin/crostata tin with butter, then dust it lightly with flour. After the dough has rested, roll it out to a rough 2 mm (1/16 in) thickness and line the cake tin, pushing the dough up the sides of the tin to create a 5-7.5 cm (2-3 in) depth and trimming any overhang. Don't worry too much about perfectly thin, even pastry. Reserve the pastry trimmings for the lattice top. Chill the pastry case in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Remove the pastry case from the fridge and blind-bake until just golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool while you prepare the filling.
• For the farro or wheat berries, on the third day of soaking, drain the soaked grain. Cook in a saucepan with the milk, cinnamon, lemon zest and salt over a very low heat, covered with a lid. Cook, stirring occasionally for 30-40 minutes until the grain is plump and tender and all the milk had been absorbed. Spread the grain out on a plate to cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
• For the rest of the filling, whisk or beat the ricotta in a bowl until smooth, then whisk in the egg yolks. Stir in the orange zest, candied fruit, sugar, orange blossom water, vanilla and salt. Into this mixture, stir the cooled cooked wheat. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then fold them gently into the ricotta mixture.
• Pour the whole lot into the prepared pastry case. Cut the leftover pastry dough into strips about 2 cm (¾ in) wide, and arrange them over the top in a diagonal lattice. Use your fingers to press the edges of each strip into the pastry case walls to seal them.
• Brush the top of the tart with the beaten egg and bake for 90 minutes, or until biscuit brown all over.
• Let the tart cool and the filling settle, for at least 12 hours in a cool place before slicing into it. Serve, finally, with coffee and congratulations.

PASTIERA DI GRANO

Steps:

• For the Crust:
• Dissolve 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in 1/4 cup of milk.
• Mix all the ingredients well. Knead for 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Shape into a round disk 1/4 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Roll out the dough to fit into 12 1/2 X 1 1/2 inch pie tin.
• For the Pastry Cream:
• Beat the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and egg yolks with a wire whisk in a large saucepan.
• Place on medium heat, add the milk, and whisk until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat and refrigerate. Meanwhile make the filling.
• For the Filling:
• Beat all the ingredients well. Fold in the pastry cream. Pour into a prepared pie tin. Bake for 1 hour at 350°F
• Allow to cool. This can be frozen and thawed to room temperature before serving.

STRAWBERRY SAUCE FOR PASTIERA

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a medium nonreactive saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until strawberries are soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ITALIAN EASTER CAKE " PASTIERA NAPOLETANA"

Steps:

• For Pasta Frolla.
• Put together tender butter, sugar, salt melted in a water spoon, almond and the eggs. combine everything and then add flour and vanilla just a little bit. Put in your fridge for 10-12 hours.
• For the dough inside: put ricotta together with powdered sugar and eggs and just a little bit of essences, prepared corn, and candied orange.
• Finally, lay your Pasta Frolla and put in muffin molde (the big one). Then put the dough inside and over with a little bit of pasta frolla. Stendete quindi la pasta frolla e mettetela nelle formine (ne verranno almeno 6). Put in oven for 20 minutes at 180°C Dish out with powdered sugar.
• We prepare this plate gifting to friends with this basket.

PASTIERA

Steps:

• Soak the wheat berries in plenty of cold water for at least 3 days, or until they soft and not rubbery, changing the water daily. Drain well. Put the wheat, lard and milk in the top of a double boiler and cook, covered, over boiling water for about 2 1/2 hours. Be sure to add boiling water to the botton pan every 20 to 30 minutes. (The wheat should be soft and in separate grains, like rice. If the wheat seems dry, add about Y cup more hot milk and stir well. Timing will vary depending on the age of the wheat berries.) Add the sugar and continue cooking another 30 minutes. Set aside to cool. The milk will continue to be absorbed as wheat cools.
• To make the pastry dough, combine the flour, sugar, salt and lemon rind in a bowl. Add the butter, cut into little pieces, and mix quickly, using your hands or a pastry blender. Mix in the ice water just until the dough holds together. Knead briefly to combine thoroughly, wrap in plastic wrap or foil and set aside to rest in a cool place for about 30 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the ricotta with the lemon zest, orange-flower water, vanilla, candied orange peel and egg yolks. Mix well and fold in the wheat. Set aside.
• Lightly butter and flour the bottoms and sides of two 9 1/2-inch tart or quiche pans with removable bottoms. Set aside about a third of the pastry, enough to make lattice tops for the two tarts. Roll out the pastry into thin circles and line the bottoms and sides of the tart pans.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat the egg whites until they are fairly stiff. Stir about a quarter of the egg whites into the ricotta mixture to soften, then fold in the remaining egg whites. Fill the tarts with the mixture. Roll out the reserved dough and cut into lattice strips to fit the tops of the tarts. Paint the tops of the tarts with the beaten egg and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the crust is just golden. Cool on a rack and serve at room temperature or just barely warm.

PASTIERA (ITALIAN EASTER PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Crack the eggs into a large bowl and beat until well blended. Beat in the sugar, then stir in the ricotta, lemon juice and rind until thoroughly incorporated.
• Add the cream and stir until smooth and creamy. Fold in the rice, then stir in the cinnamon. Pour the filling into the pie crust.
• Place in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is nicely browned (45-60 minutes). Let cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

PASTIERA WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring the milk to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the rice, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla bean. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the rice is very tender and has absorbed all the liquid, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in 3/4 cup granulated sugar. Cover; let cool, stirring occasionally. Discard the vanilla bean.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour an 8-inch springform pan. In a large bowl, combine the rice mixture, ricotta, whole eggs and egg yolks, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake until golden on top and almost set in the center, 65 to 70 minutes; cover with foil if starting to brown too much. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack.
• When the cake has completely cooled, run a knife around the edge to loosen. Gently remove the ring; transfer the cake to a serving platter. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, and serve with sauce.
• Strawberry Sauce
• Combine all the ingredients in a medium nonreactive saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries are soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• About Pastiera
• Pastiera, a traditional Neopolitan Easter "pie," is actually a type of cheesecake. Though no two recipes are alike, all contain ricotta cheese and a sweetened grain (usually rice or wheat berries), symbolizing spring's fertility.

PASTIERA ( EASTER RICOTTA AND WHEATBERRY PIE)

Steps:

• FOR THE CRUST: In a mixing bowl mix together Crisco, butter, sugar and eggs. Add flour and baking powder. Use as much flour as needed to obtain a firm but spreadable consistency. Add ice water by the teaspoonful to help obtain the right malleable consistency. Roll out the dough on a floured surface using a rolling pin to make the crust. If decorative strips are desired, crust recipe may be doubled and that dough can be cut with a pastry cutter with plain or decorative crimper blades into 1/2 inch wide strips. The strips should be long enough to go from one side of the cake pan to the other. FOR THE FILLING: Cream together ricotta and sugar; add the eggs a few at a time... mix well. Add all the remaining ingredients...mix thoroughly. Place the thin rolled out crust in two 9" pans. Pour half of the creamy filling into each cake pan. If desired place decorative strips in a basket weave fashion on top of the cakes. Place in a 375 degree oven for approximately 50 minutes to one hour or to when the pastiera is a nice golden color.

PASTIERA NAPOLETANA

Steps:

• The Evening Before
• Place the weighed wheat berries in a pan with plenty of water, cover, and soak overnight at room temperature. I like to make at least twice the amount needed, so I have extra breakfast porridge.
• Mix the ricotta and sugar together, cover, and refrigerate overnight. (If the ricotta is runny, drain it first in cheesecloth, weigh it, and then mix it with the sugar.)
• Make the short crust pastry. You can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or bowl with a stiff spatula. First cream the butter and sugar, then add the rest of the ingredients except the flour, finally add the flour. Bring the dough together, adding a little flour if it is very sticky. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
• Same Day Prep
• Drain and add fresh water to the pan of wheat berries. You can start with 1 quart water and add more as needed. Bring up to a light boil and then set to simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Check periodically to make sure the simmer is light and the water hasn't evaporated off. When most of the wheat berries have popped open, the grano cotto is done.
• Add the ingredients from the wheat cream list to the pan of grano cotto and simmer while stirring until the mixture is pasty. Remove the peels if desired and use a fork or potato masher to crush the berries. Add the candied peels/citron to the wheat cream and set aside to cool. For a very smooth filling, immersion blend the entire mixture.
• Bring the ricotta-sugar and shortcrust pastry dough out of the refrigerator.
• Whisk together all the ingredients under the ricotta citrus filling ingredient list, adding the ricotta-sugar last.
• Finally, mix the cooled wheat cream into to the ricotta citrus filling. You now have a complete pastiera filling.
• Assembly and Baking
• Preheat your oven to 360F with a shelf at the second-to-lowest position.
• Lightly grease a 9-inch nonstick cake pan.
• Cut your shortcut pastry dough in two pieces, approximately 2/3 for the pastiera base and 1/3 for the lattice/gelosies.
• Flour your workspace and roll out the pastiera base. Use your pan to estimate the dough circle size, making sure you have enough to wrap the dough up the sides of the pan.
• Carefully wrap the dough around your rolling pin and transfer it to the pan. Use your fingers to press it into the pan and repair any tears, and a knife to cut off excess crust.
• Dock the crust base with a fork to prevent it from puffing upward while baking. This is not particularly needed for a whole wheat crust, but doesn't hurt.
• Roll a rectangle with the second piece of dough, again using plenty of flour, and cut into seven strips.
• Fill the pastiera base with the filling and gently tap the pan on the counter to remove trapped air.
• Place the first four strips of the top crust on the pastiera. Don't lay the first strip dead center, or you'll have trouble spacing the other three.
• Lay the last three strips of crust at an angle to make diamond shapes.
• Trim the excess strips around the edge of the pan and press the strips into the base crust. Extra dough can be baked as cookies; or rolled into a tube, wrapped, and frozen to bake as cookies on another occasion.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes. About 15 minutes into the bake, wrap the edges of the pastiera with a silicone or foil pie shield.
• Let the pastiera cool completely before you attempt to pop it out of the pan. I do this by loosening the edges, then covering it with a clean tea towel, followed by my palm, and then flipping the pastiera into my palm, removing the pan and flipping again as I gently lay it on a flat plate.
• Pastiera can be kept at room temperature to set and fully develop its flavors.
• On day two, you can store leftovers in the refrigerator and heat by the slice for 20-30 seconds in the microwave just to soften the texture and reawaken the aromas.

PASTIERA NAPOLETANA(EASTER CAKE)

Steps:

• Preparazione: Fate scongelare la pasta a temperatura ambiente, versate in una casseruola il grano, il latte, il burro e la scorza grattugiata di 1 limone; lasciate cuocere per 10 minuti mescolando spesso finchè diventi crema. Frullate a parte la ricotta, lo zucchero, 5 uova intere più 2 tuorli, una bustina di vaniglia, un cucchiaio di acqua di fiori d'arancio e un pizzico di cannella. Lavorare il tutto fino a rendere l'impasto molto sottile. Aggiungere una grattata di buccia di un limone e i canditi tagliati a dadi. Amalgamare il tutto con il grano. Prendete la pasta frolla scongelata, o quella fatta da voi e distendete l'impasto allo spessore di circa 1/2 cm con il mattarello e rivestite la teglia (c.a. 30 cm. di diametro) precedentemente imburrata, Ritagliate la parte eccedente, ristendetela e ricavatene delle strisce. Versate il composto di ricotta nella teglia, livellatelo, ripiegate verso l'interno i bordi della pasta e decorate con strisce formando una grata che pennellerete con un tuorlo sbattuto. Infornate a 180 gradi per un'ora e mezzo finch'è la pastiera non avrà preso un colore ambrato; lasciate raffreddare e, prima di servire, spolverizzate con zucchero a velo.

PASTIERA DI MACCHERONI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a Bundt or tube pan. Beat eggs in large bowl and stir in all ingredients except spaghetti. Cook spaghetti al dente and drain. Add to egg mixture until all are evenly coated. Turn into pan and press so mixture is even and smooth. Bake 45 minutes or until slightly brown and crusty. Let stand 5 minutes, run a sharp knife around edge of pan, and invert. Chill overnight. One half-hour before serving, remove from refrigerator.

PASTIERA (WHEAT AND RICOTTA TART)

Steps:

• Place the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and citrus zest in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to combine the dry ingredients.
• Add all of the cold, cubed butter to the bowl, and process until the mixture is sandy and there are no visible lumps of butter.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract and milk. Add the wet ingredients to the food processor and pulse three or four times or until the dough comes together. If necessary, add some ice water, a few drops at a time, to make the dough come together.
• Remove the dough from the food processor and knead by hand briefly to even out any dry or wet spots. Form the dough into a ball, flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic and chill until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
• Place the cooked grain, milk, sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon in a 2-quart saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon until the mixture is creamy. The grains will retain their shape, but the rest of the mixture should be soft and smooth and there should be no huge clumps of grain; it should resemble creamy oatmeal. Transfer the grain mixture to a shallow bowl and allow it to cool completely.
• On a floured board, roll 2/3 of the pasta frolla into an 11-inch circle, 1/8th of an inch thick. Transfer the dough to a deep, 9-inch pie plate, or a 9 x 2-inch layer cake pan by rolling the dough around the pin and then unrolling it onto the pan. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan, then trim the dough to leave a 1/2-inch overhang. Gather the scraps and save them for another use. Chill the shell while you put together the rest of the filling. (You can use a larger pan, but the filling will not be as deep.).
• Preheat the oven to 350°F and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
• If you like, you can give the ricotta a quick spin in the food processor to smooth it out, but this is optional. Place the ricotta in a large bowl and whisk in the eggs, vanilla, and orange flower water or orange zest. Mix in the grain mixture and candied fruits, making sure all the ingredients are completely combined.
• Roll out the remaining pasta frolla into a rectangle at least 11 inches long and 6 inches wide. Using a pastry cutter, make 6 or 7 long strips of dough, 3/4-inch wide.
• Pour the filling into the chilled shell and carefully arrange the enough of the strips on top to form a lattice pattern. Pinch the edges together with the overhang to seal. Trim all the pastry flush with the top of the pan, then gently roll it down and inward with your finger to form a lip around the perimeter.
• Use a fork to slightly beat the egg with a small splash of water to make an egg wash. With a pastry brush, glaze the pastry strips and edges. Bake the pastiera on the middle rack of the oven for 55 to 60 minutes, rotating it 180° after 20 minutes to ensure even browning. If necessary, you can protect the edges from overbrowning with some strips of aluminum foil.
• The pastiera is done when the filling is set but jiggly and the pastry is golden brown. A knife inserted in the center will come out clean. Remove it from the oven and set it to cool on a rack. Allow the pastiera to cool completely, or chill it overnight before cutting it into wedges to serve.

PASTIERA RUSTICA DI TAGLIOLINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water, until slightly underdone.
• Drain the pasta well and place it in a large bowl; toss with the butter. Pour in the milk and combine thoroughly; let stand, tossing every 5 to 10 minutes, until the pasta absorbs all except a tablespoon or so of the milk. This can happen almost immediately or take as long as 30 minutes.
• While the pasta is standing, in another bowl, beat the eggs with the grated cheeses and pepper. With 2 tablespoons of butter, grease a 3 to 4-quart baking dish or casserole.
• When the pasta has absorbed the milk, add the egg mixture, then the provolone, pancetta, and soppressata and mix well. Pour into the greased baking pan.
• Bake for about 50 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until the top and edges have browned lightly.
• Let rest 10 to 20 minutes before serving, or serve warm instead of hot, or at room temperature.

EASTER WHEAT PIE (PASTIERA DI GRANO) RECIPE - (4.3/5)

Steps:

• Pie crust: Sift flour and sugar into a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or with fingertips to distribute butter evenly through flour. Stir in egg yolks one at a time, mixing with wooden spoon. Work with hands until dough is manageable. Add milk to hold together. Turn into a lightly floured board and knead until smooth. Form into a ball and chill 30 minutes. Then divide the ball in two. Roll out on lightly floured board to about 1/4 thick (large enough to line a deep 10" pie plate). Butter pie plate an line with pastry leaving a 1/2 inch overhang. Roll out other piece of dough and cut into 1/4 inch strips for lattice work topping. Filling: In scalded milk, mix can of wheat 1/4 teaspoon salt and sugar. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add citron and orange peel, set aside. Meanwhile beat ricotta and 1 cup of sugar then add 6 egg yolks, vanilla and orange water. Blend well. Stir in prepared wheat. Then fold-in beaten 4 egg whites. Pour into pie shell. Arrange strips criss-cross over filling to edge and flute heavily. Bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 1 hour or until firm in center. Let cool in oven with door open. Serve sprinkled with confectioners sugar.