How to make the Easter Cheese and Grain Pie:
Knead the flour, butter, sugar and eggs together quickly. Make a ball of
the dough and let rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
How to make the filling: soak the grain for about a week,
changing the water every day. Drain and boil with fresh water for 15 min.
Drain and put back in the pot with milk, lemon rind, cinnamon, vanilla, a
pinch of salt, and 1 tbs. of sugar. Bring to a boil, lower and cook over
low heat until the milk is absorbed. Remove and discard the lemon rind.
Sift the ricotta into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar and
beat until creamy. Add the 2 yolks, the whole-wheat grain, diced candied
fruits, grated lemon peel, and the orange-flower water. Fold in the beaten
egg whites.
Grease a 12-in. baking pan with butter and dust with
sugar. Line with 3/4 of the pastry. Roll out the remaining dough and cut
into strips. Arrange the strips over the filling in a lattice design.
Brush the strips of dough with egg yolk. Heat the oven to 375°F and bake
the cake for 1 1/2 hours, until the filling has set and the crust is
golden brown. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar before serving
the pastiera napoletana.
N ote:
The pastiera napoletanais best if eaten a day after it is cooked, and it keeps in
the refrigerator for a week. In Italy, grain is sold pre-cooked and
softened, sealed in plastic bags.
Recipe courtesy of The Italian Trade Commission.
Serves 4-6
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