Easter Wheat Pie Pastiera Di Grano Recipe 435 Food

PASTIERA NAPOLETANA (NEAPOLITAN EASTER PIE)

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour and sugar and process a few times to mix together.
• Next add the butter and pulse a few times until the mixture looks like wet sand.
• Add the egg and yolk and process a few seconds more until the dough forms (this should be about 5-7 more pulses). Be sure to not overprocess the dough.
• Dump the dough from the food processor bowl onto a lightly floured counter. Form the dough into 2 disks (one a little larger than the other. The smaller disk will be used to cut the strips for top of pie) and chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
• While dough chills, make the wheat berries and pastry cream.
• Combine the wheat berries with about 2 quarts cold water and the salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then decrease the heat to low and allow the wheat to simmer gently until it is cooked though, about an hour.
• Drain and cool the wheat in a bowl. While wheat berries cool down, prepare the pastry cream.
• Whisk the egg and yolk together in a bowl, then whisk in the sugar and flour. Whisk in the milk and scrape the mixture into a small saucepan.
• Place over medium/low heat and stir constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for a few seconds after the cream reaches the boil.
• Scrape the pastry cream into a bowl. Immediately whisk in the ricotta until smooth. Whisk in the sugar, then the eggs one at a time. Stir in the orange flower water, candied orange peel, vanilla, cinnamon and the cooked wheat berries.
• When dough is nicely chilled, remove from the refrigerator.
• Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into a 13-inch round about 1/8 thick. Spray an 11-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom with baking spray. Gently wrap the dough over the rolling pin and place it over the tart pan; release the rolling pin and let the dough fall into the tart pan.
• Press the dough softly into the bottom of the tart pan. If some of the dough breaks while you press it into the tart pan, that's not a problem. Simply piece the dough together.
• Press the sides of the dough about 1/2 inch up the side of the tart pan. The rim of the tart should be lined with a slightly thicker layer of pastry than the bottom (about 1/4-inch thick). Cut off the extra dough from the sides and keep these excess pieces to make the lattice topping.
• Place this tart pan in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes (or even longer if necessary) to chill.
• When the dough is chilled and ready to fill, remove the tart pan from the refrigerator and prick the pastry bottom with a fork a few times. Set a rack in the lowest level of the oven and preheat to 350 F.
• Spoon the ricotta filling into the prepared crust. Remove the other portion of chilled dough from the refrigerator to make the lattice strips. Use a serrated cutting wheel to cut it into 3/4-inch wide strips.
• Arrange 5 of the strips parallel and equal distance from each other on the filling, letting the excess dough hang over the edge of the pie. Place the 5 remaining strips on exactly the same way, but at a 45-degree angle to the first ones.
• Gently press the ends of the strips to adhere to the edge of the bottom crust. Carefully remove any excess pieces of dough with your fingers or with the back of a knife.
• Bake the pastiera until the filling is set and slightly puffed and the crust is baked through, about 40 minutes. Cool on a rack.

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.

PASTIERA NAPOLETANA: ITALIAN EASTER GRAIN PIE

Steps:

• Place the pre-cooked wheat berries (grano cotto) in a small saucepan.
• Add the milk, butter, and lemon peel.
• Over medium heat, bring to a gentle simmer and stir frequently for 10-15 minutes until most of the milk is absorbed and the mixture reassembles a creamy oatmeal-like mixture.
• Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow it to come to room temperature.
• Then, refrigerate for up to 24 hours before using the following day.
• A few hours before you plan on mixing the ingredients to make the ricotta cheese filling, place the fresh ricotta in a strainer lined with cheesecloth. This will help remove any excess moisture from the cheese.
• While waiting, prepare the citrus sugar by rubbing together the lemon and orange zest with the granulated sugar. Set aside for now.
• When you are ready to combine the ingredients, place the ricotta in a mesh strainer. Then, press the ricotta through the holes into a medium bowl with the back of a spoon.
• Add the citrus sugar and with a fork, mix everything together until well blended. Taste and adjust to personnel sweetness.
• Next, in a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs and egg yolks together before adding them to the ricotta mixture. With a fork, combine lightly together.
• Finally, add the pure vanilla extract, orange blossom water, ground cinnamon (optional), and combine. Do not overbeat.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before using the following day.
• Cut ½ cup of cold unsalted butter into 18 small pieces and place it in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
• In a food processor combine the dry ingredients and pulse a few times.
• Add the cut-up butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse ground meal.
• Add the slightly beaten eggs and pulse until the dough comes together.
• Turn out the dough on a lightly floured wooden board and form it into a smooth disc by pressing the dough together.
• Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimal time of 30 minutes before using it.
• Step by step photos can be found in the article.
• When you are ready, grease a 10-inch (25 cm) pie plate that is 2 inches (5 cm) deep. You can also use a springform pan.
• Remove a third of the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and set it aside for now. This will become the lattice top.
• With a rolling pin, stretch out two-thirds of the chilled pasta frolla dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper to form a 12-inch round about ⅜-inch (1 cm) thick.
• Ease the dough into the 10-inch (25 cm) greased pie plate, being sure to press it into the bottom and up the sides to remove any air bubbles.
• Trim the excess dough even with the rim of the pan. Chill it for 1 hour.
• Combine the trimmed pastry dough scraps with the remaining dough (one-third). Roll it out on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper to form a 10-inch round about ⅜-inch (1 cm) thick.
• With a fluted pastry wheel, cut 7 long strips each about one inch wide. These lattice strips will create the criss-cross diamond pattern on our traditional Easter cake. Chill them for at least 1 hour until needed.
• Preheat your oven to 325° F (165 °C). Place the oven rack in the center of the oven.
• Prepare a simple egg wash for brushing the dough by whisking together one whole egg with a teaspoon of milk in a small bowl. Set this aside until you are ready to use it.
• Remove the lemon peel from the grain mixture. Then, combine the ricotta and grain mixture in a large mixing bowl.
• If using, add 1 tablespoon of chopped candied orange peel.
• Use a hand-held blender and pulse gently 5-7 times to help blend the mixture. This will create a smoother pastiera filling.
• Remove the pastry shell from the refrigerator and pour this mixture into the prepared crust.
• Remove the pastry strips from the refrigerator.
• Brush each strip with the egg wash before placing it on the top of the ricotta filling. Brush the inside rim of the dough in the tart pan as well.
• Place four strips gently on the filling and equally distanced from each other. This will form the bottom layer of the lattice top.
• Then, place one strip across the center of the pie, touching the ends of the outer strips previously placed on the filling. Then, place two more strips gently on the filling parallel to the center, creating a diamond-shaped lattice pattern.
• Trim the excess dough from the strips. Fold over the dough of the bottom pastry crust over the top strips of dough, gently pressing it down.
• Bake pastiera in a preheated oven for about 80-90 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is firm to the touch but is still jiggly. If you find that your pastiera is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil during baking to prevent it from burning.
• Once pastiera is baked, turn off the oven and leave the oven door ajar. Leave the pastiera in the oven for about 15 minutes, Then, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
• Cover loosely with a clean tea towel and store in a cool dry place, at room temperature, for at least 2 days before serving.
• When you are ready to serve pastiera, lightly dust with powdered sugar. Slice, serve and enjoy!

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 (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.