Easter is upon us: that time of the year when it’s absolutely acceptable to eat chocolate for four days in a row. After January Detox and Lent, we can finally stuff ourselves silly and IT’S ALRIGHT!
To be honest with you, I never “detox” or diet in January because it’s my birthday month. I have also never given up anything for Lent because a) I am not religious b) I can’t think of a good reason to do it. My attitude is to always eat anything I want, but in moderation. I’m patiently waiting for Easter Sunday to open the colomba cakes my mum recently brought me from Italy, as well as eat a slice of Pastiera Napoletana.
The pastiera is a Neapolitan tart filled with ricotta cheese mixed with cooked wheat and flavoured with orange blossom water. It’s traditionally made for Easter, so it’s difficult (or impossible) to find it during other times of the year or in different Italian regions.
Last year when my mum visited me in London, I asked her to make this cake with me so that I could learn as well. Around the same time we also made the cassata siciliana (you can find the recipe on my blog) so we decided to put the pastiera away in the freezer. I took it out a few weeks ago when my mum came to visit again and even after 10 months the cake tasted incredibly good, apart from a slightly crumbly edge, the tart looks nearly perfect!
My mum also made a new cake for us and I can’t wait to eat it again this Sunday! :)
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 250g plain flour
- 125g butter
- 75g caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 6g baking powder
- pinch of salt
For the filling
- 210g canned cooked wheat (Grano Chirico)
- 50ml whole milk
- 15g butter
- 1/2 lemon peel
- 3 eggs
- 1 egg yolks
- 300g granulated white sugar
- 350g ricotta cheese
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp orange blossom water
- icing sugar to decorate
Preparation
Shape the flour in a fountain, place the pieces of cold butter in the centre, with sugar on top. Knead the butter and sugar first, then slowly add the flour into the mix. Keep kneading, then add the egg, baking powder and pinch of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Heat the wheat in a pot with the milk, butter and lemon peel for about 10 minutes. Cool down and remove the lemon peel.
Mix it with the ricotta cheese and sugar. Add the eggs, orange blossom water, cinnamon and vanilla extract.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roll out the dough and press into the bottom and sides of a tart pan. Trim off any excess dough and reserve it for the lattice. Prick the bottom with a fork.
I must be one of the very few Neapolitans that do NOT like pastiera! I used to eat the ‘crust’ and leave the filling. It’s found almost all year round in Napoli, and has become a traditional xmas cake as well as easter! figure that out. Well done for making what looks very authentic. I can almost smell it!
Seriously, what’s not to like?? My mum deserves the praise, I still haven’t baked the pastiera all by myself…. :P
I’ve always thought that making Pastiera was damn hard but you make it look so easy! Luckily, tomorrow my aunt from Naples will bake it for me :D I’ll give it a try next year. Maybe :D
Lucky you! :) Buona Pasqua!
I have not tried a pastiera before, but the combination of the creamy ricotta and orange blossom sound incredibly good. Oh, and that buttery pastry crust. Nommm… Sharing for sure! :) Have a great Easter weekend!
You have to try it, I love ricotta tarts and this one just has a unique flavour. I’ve often eaten bad ones though, even in Italy, so making your own is sometimes the best option! Happy Easter!
You have to try it, I love ricotta tarts and this one just has a unique
flavour. I’ve often eaten bad ones though, even in Italy, so making your
own is sometimes the best option! Happy Easter!