Flavors of Naples Series: Pastiera Napoletana

The Neapolitan-ness of this recipe is in the name! Pastieria Napoletana is a popular Easter dessert not only in Naples but throughout Italy. Like all good recipes, there is debate about how it came to be – some attribute the recipe to a monastery in Naples, while others argue that it has pagan Greek roots, like the city of Naples itself. Whichever of these views you subscribe to, the recipe’s original ingredients – ricotta cheese, candied orange peel and orange blossom water – capture the scents and flavors of the Bay of Naples in springtime.

Although the original recipe calls for grano cotto (pre-cooked wheat grains), this recipe can be made with Arborio rice or any risotto rice.

Ingredients

For the dough

• 300 g plain flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 150 g butter
• 1 egg
• 150 ml of water
• Powdered sugar to sprinkle on top

For Filling

• 350 g grano cotto or Arborio rice
• 250 ml milk
• 30 g butter
• 1 lemon peel
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 300 g sugar
• 350 g ricotta
• 40 g candied lemon
• 40 g candied orange peel
• 20 g orange blossom water
• ¼ tablespoon vanilla extract

Description:

1. Start by making the dough. Put the flour, sugar and butter in a bowl and knead into small crumbs. Add the egg and knead with your hands until homogeneous.
2. Add the water a little at a time until the mixture forms a dough and stir, you may not need to use all the water.
3. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour.
4. Meanwhile, you can prepare the filling. Put the grano cotto or Arborio rice in a sauce pan with a handle; add the milk, butter and lemon zest. Heat, stirring, until boiling, then reduce the heat and continue stirring until cooked – this will take about 20-25 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the heat and allow to cool.
5. Put the eggs in a bowl with the sugar and beat until the eggs are pale in color.
6. Place the ricotta cheese in a blender and beat until the consistency of whipped cream. Add to the egg and sugar mixture and fold in from the bottom with a spatula.
7. Add the mixture from step 3, candied orange peel, vanilla extract and orange blossom water to the ricotta mixture. Mix gently until you get a homogeneous consistency.
8. Preheat the oven to 160°C and grease a cake tin (24 cm x 4 cm)
9. Dust a clean surface with powdered sugar and roll out the dough with a rolling pin to an even thickness. Place the rolled out dough on the cake mold and poke holes in the bottom with a fork. Place the filling inside and trim the edges of the dough neatly. Roll the remaining dough into balls for decoration.
10. Roll out the dough evenly, cut eight strips long enough to fit the pastry mold. Arrange these strips on the pastiera in a lattice shape, cutting off any excess.
11. Bake the pastiera in the oven for one hour. Then cover with aluminum foil and bake for another half hour. Allow the cake to cool before removing it from the mold.
12. Serve the pastiera cold with a good Italian espresso. Enjoy your meal!

Recipe and images courtesy of Great Italian Chefs.