The pastieraNeapolitan is a sweetof the kitchentraditional bell, which fits right in with the recipes ofEastermore well-known. The origins of the Neapolitan pastiera are very ancient. It is associated with the goddess's spring offeringsCecereand, subsequently, to Christian rites and symbolizes rebirth.
Even the Neapolitan pastiera, like the Sfogliatella, was invented by the nuns of the monasteries and convents. In this specific case, the Neapolitan pastiera, as it has come to us since the 16th century, was born in aconvent of San Gregorio Armeno, in Naples. The pastiera we present in this recipe is homemade byMara Reel. If you are greedy and love variations,Tiziana Brunooffers us oneNeapolitan chocolate pastiera.

Equipment
- Light aluminum tray with flared edges typical for pastiera, with 4.5 cm high edge
Ingredients
Quantity for 1 pastiera diameter 28 – 30 cm
For the pasta
- 330 gr Type 0 flour + 6 -7 g for the pastry board
- 165 gr Butter soft at room temperature
- 130 gr sugar semolina
- 1 no eggs medium
- 2 no eggs only small yolks
- yeast spoon tip
- orange blossom aroma 1 level teaspoon if you are using the diluted one or 2 drops if you are using the concentrated one
- lemon grated peel
- 1 pinch salt
For ricotta cream
- 350 gr Ricotta perfectly drained sheep's milk
- 300 gr sugar
- 3 no eggs averages
- 2 no eggs only medium yolks
- 1/2 spoon cinnamon
- orange blossom aroma 4 tablespoons if you use the diluted one; 1 tablespoon if you are using the concentrated one
- 70 gr candied fruit mixed
For cream of wheat
- 300 gr cooked wheat for pastiere
- 200 gr milk whole fresh
- 25 gr butter
- 1 no orange peel only
- 1 no lemon peel only
instructions
Procedure for the shortcrust pastry
- Place the cold butter (or lard) from the fridge and the sifted flour in a mixer, blend lightly and for a short time. You will get a crumbly mixture, take it and place it on a pastry board.
- Form the classic fountain, making a hole in the center and placing the three whole eggs, the pinch of salt and the granulated sugar in the centre.
- Beat the egg yolks with a fork and, using a spatula, cover with the butter, flour and sugar mixture you have around. When everything is mixed together, form a dough.
- Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least a couple of hours. The ideal would be to leave the pastry overnight. You will have a very elastic pastry.
For the filling of the Neapolitan pastiera
- Cook the wheat over a low heat with the milk and lard, the vanilla and 50 g of granulated sugar taken from the total. Stir often to prevent burning. It will take about 15-20 minutes, the mixture should thicken. When a cream has formed, turn off and let cool.
- When the wheat and milk mixture is well cooled, blend more than half of it in a blender or in a blender. This is obviously a personal taste, you can also avoid this step and have a more grainy mixture.
- Whip three egg whites until stiff and set aside.
- Pass the ricotta through a sieve, you can also use a mixer to make it softer.
- Add the ricotta into a very large bowl and add the remaining sugar (250 grams) and the spoonful of lard.
- Add 5 egg yolks to the bowl, one at a time, mixing delicately, the egg whites whipped until stiff and not too stiff, the zest of two lemons, wildflower or orange blossom flavouring, the lemon (alternatively the citron) and the finely chopped candied orange.
- As soon as the wheat and milk mixture has cooled, add it to the ricotta and the other mixtures in the bowl and mix.
- Let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours, it improves its yield. Rest is essential so don't rush, pastiera requires patience.
Prepare the Neapolitan pastiera by assembling the filling with the shortcrust pastry
- Take the shortcrust pastry from the fridge and work it on a lightly floured pastry board. Save a little for the strips.
- Transfer the shortcrust pastry to a properly buttered cake pan of approximately 28-30 cm in diameter with high edges and bring it to the desired thickness. You can also make two smaller ones with these proportions.
- Add the filling without ever exceeding 5 cm from the edge of the pan and with the remaining shortcrust pastry form strips which you will arrange in the shape of a grid on the filling.
- Place in a preheated oven at 170° for about an hour and a half to two hours until the pastiera is well colored on the surface.
- Take the Neapolitan pastiera out of the oven and sprinkle the surface with icing sugar. Happy Easter!
Ricetta dettagliata e completa.
Grazie!
Un dolce che mi ricorda tanto la mia infanzia.
Grazie, Orietta! Sono felice che la pastiera napoletana fatta in casa ti ricordi la tua infanzia. È un dolce ricco di storia e tradizione, e condividere quei ricordi attraverso il cibo è davvero speciale.
Non pensavo che una ricetta così semplice potesse essere così incredibilmente gustosa
Grazie per il tuo commento! Spesso le ricette più semplici sono anche le più deliziose.
Ricetta delle tradizione partenope, ottima
Grazie per il tuo commento! Sono contento che tu abbia apprezzato la ricetta della tradizione partenopea.