Pastiera... Grandma's Recipe ♥️

Name: Pastiera... Grandma's Recipe ♥️
Total time: 7200 s
Yield: Serves 10–12 servings
Ingredients: For the shortcrust pastry; 4 cups all-purpose flour (about 500 grams); 7/8 cup unsalted butter or lard (about 200 grams); 1 cup granulated sugar (about 200 grams); 3 egg yolks + 1 whole egg; Grated zest of 1 organic lemon; Pinch salt; For cooking the wheat; 2 cups cooked wheat berries (about 400 grams); 3 cups whole milk (about 700 ml); Peel of 1 organic lemon; 3 tablespoons granulated sugar; 2 packets vanilla sugar or vanilla extract; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or lard; Cinnamon, to taste; For the filling; 2 cups well-drained sheep's milk ricotta (about 500 grams); 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (about 300 grams); 6 egg yolks; 3 egg whites, beaten until stiff; 3.5 ounces candied fruit (about 100 grams); Cinnamon, to taste; 1 vial millefiori essence, 1 vial orange blossom essence; Powdered sugar, to taste, for dusting

Nunzia Marzocco @Nunziamarzocco68

The aroma of Neapolitan pastiera is intoxicating to me. While I make it, I can't resist tasting it—it's a weakness I've had since I was a child helping my grandma make them. I remember clearly that back then there was no electric mixer and everything was done by hand. My job was to beat the egg whites until stiff 😅😅—you can imagine how hard that was 😂—me, so little, with a big bowl and two forks, whipping the egg whites until they were firm, with grandma encouraging me, saying those pastiere would be special ♥️. I relive those moments every year when I make pastiera with Grandma Carmela's recipe ❤️❤️❤️❤️, the only difference is that now it's much easier... I use an electric mixer 😉.

Nunzia Marzocco @Nunziamarzocco68

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Ingredients

2 hours plus cooling

Serves 10–12 servings

For the shortcrust pastry
4 cupsall-purpose flour (about 500 grams)
7/8 cupunsalted butter or lard (about 200 grams)
1 cupgranulated sugar (about 200 grams)
3egg yolks + 1 whole egg
Grated zest of 1 organic lemon
Pinchsalt
For cooking the wheat
2 cupscooked wheat berries (about 400 grams)
3 cupswhole milk (about 700 ml)
Peel of 1 organic lemon
3 tablespoonsgranulated sugar
2 packetsvanilla sugar or vanilla extract
1 tablespoonunsalted butter or lard
Cinnamon, to taste
For the filling
2 cupswell-drained sheep's milk ricotta (about 500 grams)
1 1/2 cupsgranulated sugar (about 300 grams)
6egg yolks
3egg whites, beaten until stiff
3.5 ouncescandied fruit (about 100 grams)
Cinnamon, to taste
1vial millefiori essence, 1 vial orange blossom essence
Powdered sugar, to taste, for dusting

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Steps

2 hours plus cooling

1

Cook the wheat berries with the milk, lemon peel (yellow part only), vanilla, butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir constantly until the mixture becomes creamy. Make sure to stir so the wheat doesn't stick. Once ready, let it cool completely. You can do this the night before so the mixture is cold and you save time, especially if you're making more than one pastiera.
2

Prepare the shortcrust pastry. This can also be done the night before. On a work surface, combine the flour and sugar, add the grated lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Mix well with a fork, then add the cold butter and rub it in. Add the egg yolks and whole egg. Work the dough until it forms a smooth, even ball. Wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge.
3

In a bowl, combine the sugar and ricotta. Mix until creamy.
4

Remove the lemon peels from the cooled wheat mixture and add it to the ricotta and sugar. Add the candied fruit and the millefiori and orange blossom essences. Incorporate the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well.
5

Beat the egg whites until stiff, adding 2 drops of lemon juice.
6

Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the mixture, stirring from bottom to top so they don't deflate.
7

Roll out the shortcrust pastry between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/5 inch (5 mm) thick. Place it in a baking pan with the parchment paper, prick the bottom with a fork, fill with the cream, and make strips for the top. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar.
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