At Easter, specifically on Holy Thursday before Easter, people in Naples enjoy the traditional Neapolitan ricotta cheese pie. An authentic explosion of flavors!
Origins
The pastiera was invented in a convent by nuns that wanted a symbol of the Resurrection of Jesus.
The tart was indeed made using eggs that represent the new life. In the ancient convent of San Gregorio Armeno they used to prepare a great quantity for the rich families of Naples. The pastiera has to be cooked some days in advance, no later than Maundy Thursday or Good Friday, in order to allow the fragrances to mix properly and result in that unique flavor.
Ingredients
For the short crust pastry:
Flour 00 250 g
Lard 50 g
Butter 50 g
Sugar 80 g
Wildflower honey 20 g
Eggs 60 g
Whole milk 40 g
Lemon peel 1
Orange peel 1
Fine salt 1 pinch
For the wheat cream:
Cooked wheat 200 g
Whole milk 80 g
Butter 25 g
Lemon peel to taste
Orange peel to taste
Fine salt 1 pinch
For the filling:
Sheep's milk ricotta cheese 200 g
Sugar 180 g
Candied citron 50 g
Wildflower honey 20 g
Eggs 2
Egg yolks 1
Orange blossom water to taste
Whole milk 20 g
Orange peel to taste
Lemon peel to taste
To garnish:
Powdered sugar
Instruction
To prepare the dough, create a flour volcano, in the middle place the butter, lard, and sugar.
Mix using your hands. Add the honey, egg, milk, and citrus peels. Once you obtain a kind of soft batter, start to incorporate the flour slowly.
Shape the dough into a ball. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
To prepare the wheat cream, pour the precooked wheat in a pan and add a pinch of salt. Pour in the milk and add the butter. Once it is about to boil, turn off the heat and transfer the wheat mixture to a low and wide pan to cool.
In another bowl mix the drained ricotta and the sugar, until you get a soft cream. Let it rest in the refrigerator for an hour.
Place the wheat mixture in a large bowl. Add the diced candied citron and stir briefly. Take the bowl with the ricotta cheese and sugar, add the honey, stir, add the wheat mixture and combine the ingredients.
In another bowl, add the eggs, yolk, and orange blossom water. Then add the milk, zest a little bit of lemon and orange and mix. Add this mixture to the ricotta cheese and wheat cream in two or three parts and continue to mix. The filling is ready!
Take the dough out of the refrigerator and divide it into two parts, one bigger than the other.
Roll out the larger part until you get a thickness of 3 mm. Then roll the dough around the rolling pin.
Unroll it over 20 cm mold. Trim with a small knife and prick the base with a fork.
Place the filling inside, roll out the remaining dough and create seven 1-2 cm thick strips.
Place 4 strips over the filling in a diagonal direction. Then add on top of the 4 strips the other 3, reaching over the edges, to create a grid pattern.
Bake in a preheated static oven at 180° C for about 50 minutes on the lowest rack. Once has completely cooled, sprinkle a little powdered sugar and serve!
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