Pastiera is a sweet of the Neapolitan tradition, which is realized during the Easter period, but much appreciated throughout the year, there are many versions then, which were made over time due to the multitude of ingredients, candied yes, or candied fruit no, there are those who put whole wheat and those who blend them, then the custard is not present in all the recipes, then the ricotta, a fundamental ingredient would go to sheep but some prefer the cow one. I wanted to keep all these ingredients, but giving another interpretation, even in appearance.
Production time: 2 hours + rest time
Degree of difficulty (from 1 to 5): 3
mould: 28 cm
Ingredients
Short pastries
600g of flour
250g of butter
200g of sugar
3 medium eggs (150g)
Peel of half a lemon and grated orange
8 g of baking powder
A few drops of aroma (millefiori)
Frangipani with citrus fruits
200 g of 00 flour
150g of sugar
150 g of eggs
75 g of almond flour (or chopped almonds)
70g of butter
150 g of sweet white yoghurt
1 packet of baking powder
3 tablespoons of hot water
2 tablespoons of limoncello
30 g of candied fruit
30 g of chocolate drops.
Ricotta mousse and cooked wheat
200 g of cooked wheat
40 g of granulated sugar
25g of butter
Half grated lemon and orange peel
200 g of whole milk
150 g of ricotta sheep
60 g of granulated sugar
Juice from half a lemon
100ml of cream
4 g of jelly feed
Procedure to make my own pastiera
Start with the shortcrust pastry, mix all the ingredients quickly, make a dough and place it in the refrigerator for at least half an hour.
For the frangipani
Melt the butter in a bain-marie or in the microwave and let it cool. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the 3 tablespoons of hot water for a couple of minutes. They will have to become frothy.
Then add the sugar and continue to whisk. Then add the yogurt and warmed melted butter, the lemon and orange peel and the limoncello, continuing to whisk. At this point begin to incorporate the sifted flour together with the yeast and almond flour. Mix well with a spoon, then add the candied fruit and the chocolate drops evenly.
Resume the pastry spread it to a thickness of 4 / 5 mm butter and flour the mold and cover it with a border about 3 cm high. Prick the bottom and pour the frangipane mass inside. Bake in a preheated static oven at 170/175°C for 40/45 minutes and always make the toothpick test. Take out of the oven and let it cool down, unmold and place it on a serving plate (this first part is best done the day before to allow the right time for rest and stabilization).
For the ricotta mousse
Cook the wheat with the milk, the butter, the sugar, lemon and orange peels for about 15 minutes.
When it is ready, make everything cream with a mixer (this preparation also suggests making it the night before).
Hydrate the gelatine in cold water, work the ricotta with the sugar, add the grated rind of lemon and orange, add the lemon juice, whip the cream and add it to the ricotta cheese without removing it.
Melt the gelatine and add it to the ricotta cream (be careful not to let the lumps come).
Finally add the cooked wheat puree, put it in a bag with a few nozzles and put it in the fridge for a few minutes to make it set.
Pick up the cake and dress over the ricotta mousse with spikes, I made biscuits with Easter themed molds and used them to decorate the cake, orange peel and chocolate flakes.
The recipe was made by Maria Rosaria Sciotti.
