Neapolitan Pastiera

Instructions

1. 1

   To make the pastiera, start with the shortcrust pastry. On a work surface, sift the flour, add a pinch of salt. Form a well, creating a space in the center where you can see the work surface.

2. 2

   In the center, add the butter, shortening, and sugar. Work the fats and sugar together by hand until they are absorbed.

3. 3

   Continue mixing and add the honey, then the egg and milk. Grate the orange and lemon zest.

4. 4

   Continue working the ingredients in the center, and you will obtain a kind of soft batter. Gradually start adding the flour and work it in, using a rolling pin if needed.

5. 5

   You should obtain a dough. To make it more homogeneous, you can lightly dust the work surface with a little flour. Then, work the dough briefly to make it completely smooth and homogeneous. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

6. 6

   Now, cook the wheat. In a saucepan, pour in the precooked wheat, add a pinch of salt. Crush the wheat slightly to make it uniform and moisten it with the milk. Add the butter.

7. 7

   You can add a piece of orange and lemon zest. Bring to a near boil, which will only take a few minutes: use a fork to crush the wheat while it cooks and stir constantly. Once it reaches a near boil, turn off the heat and transfer to a low, wide baking dish to cool.

8. 8

   In a separate bowl, sift the ricotta cheese and add the sugar. Mix until smooth and let it rest in the refrigerator for about an hour.

9. 9

   After the time has passed, take the wheat mixture, which is now cold, remove the citrus zest, and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the diced candied citron, and mix briefly. At this point, if you wish, you can blend it for a few seconds with an immersion blender to obtain a filling with a not-too-rustic texture.

10. 10

    Take the bowl with the ricotta and sugar, add the honey, mix, and add the wheat mixture, always mixing to incorporate. In another bowl, beat the eggs and egg yolk, pour in the orange blossom water.

11. 11

    Add the milk, grate a little lemon and orange zest, and mix well.

12. 12

    Add this mixture to the ricotta and wheat cream in two or three times, continuing to mix. Now the filling is ready. Take the shortcrust pastry and divide it into two parts, one larger than the other. Roll out the larger part with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface. You should reach a thickness of about 3 mm. Then, roll the dough onto the rolling pin.

13. 13

    Remove the Neapolitan pastiera from the oven 43 and when it has cooled completely, you can unmold it (or serve it directly in the pan), and dust it with a little powdered sugar before serving 45. To best express its flavors, the Neapolitan pastiera should rest for at least 24 hours before being enjoyed.

14. 14

    Trasferite la crema all’interno, sbattete delicatamente il ruoto sul piano per eliminare eventuali bolle d’aria. Tirate la parte avanzata di impasto e realizzate 7 striscioline spesse da 1 a 2 cm 41. Ponete le prime 4 arrivando fino ad oltre il bordo della pastiera, in senso trasversale. Poi sopra le altre per creare il reticolo, arrivando sempre al bordo del ruoto. Eliminate quindi gli eccessi di frolla 42. La pastiera a questo punto è pronta per cuocere in forno statico preriscaldato a 180°, per circa 50-55 minuti sul ripiano più basso del forno

15. 15

    Sfornate poi la pastiera napoletana 43 e quando si sarà raffreddata completamente potete sformarla (o servirla nel ruoto direttamente), spolverizzatela con un po’ di zucchero a velo al momento di servire 45. La pastiera napoletana, per esprimere al meglio i suoi sapori, dovrebbe riposare almeno 24 ore prima di essere gustata.