Easter Wheat Pie Pastiera Di Grano Recipe 435

MARIA'S EASTER (WHEAT) PIE/"PASTIERA DI GRANO"

Steps:

• ***PreparingThe Wheat: If"soaked" or"precooked" wheat is not available, dry wheat may be used.
• Cover the dry wheat with cold water (water should be about 2 inches over the wheat) and boil it for 15 minutes or until the wheat berries crack open.
• Remove pan from heat and allow wheat to soak for a full 24 hours.
• After soaking, drain well before using in steps#17-19.
• If"soaked"/"precooked" wheat is used, add the wheat to a pan of boiling water and cook it for about 5-10 minutes (most of the wheat berries should be open and they should be chewy but tender).
• Drain well, let cool and use for steps#17-19.
• Crust: Mix flour, sugar and lemon peel together in a bowl.
• Work butter into flour using your fingers (until it is the size of peas).
• Add eggs one at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon.
• Knead the dough lightly until it holds together well and clears the bowl.
• Form dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill it for about 1/2- 1 hour before using.
• Cream: Fill the bottom of a double boiler with enough water so that its insert doesn't quite touch the water; bring the water to a boil.
• Mix the whole milk, egg yolks, sugar, flour, lemon peel and citron together in the insert of the double boiler which has been set in to the bottom pan.
• Cook the"cream," stirring constantly until it has thickened and is the consistency of a thick pudding (about 20-30 minutes).
• Remove the insert from the boiling water and set aside to allow the"cream" to cool, stir occasionally to keep a skin from forming.
• Note: I sometimes put the insert pan with the"cream" mixture into a bowl of very cold water, to help it cool down faster, don't forget to stir it.
• Wheat: Add the (cooked, soaked, well drained) wheat to a saucepan with the milk and butter.
• Cook the wheat mixture, stirring occasionally until the butter melts, and mixture starts to boil; boil for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and let cool.
• Prepare Pans: On a lightly floured board, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/8 inch thick and line the bottom and sides of two lightly buttered 9-inch glass cake pans.
• Leave a 1/2 inch overhang of dough if you are going to use the lattice top.
• If not using the lattice, trim the overhang to 1/4 inch.
• Re-roll scraps and cut into 1/2 inch wide strips to use as a lattice top for the pie.
• (If you prefer, the lattice can be omitted.) Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Ricotta Filling: Mix ricotta, eggs, sugar and lemon peel together in a large bowl.
• Beat mixture by hand, with a wooden spoon, until smooth and creamy.
• Add the"cream" mixture and the wheat mixture to the ricotta filling, stirring until all is well blended.
• Pour or ladle the filling into prepared pans (to within 1/4 inch of the top of the pan).
• For The Lattice: place the strips of dough across the filling, spaced about 1 inch apart (at right angles) forming a lattice top.
• Fold the 1/2 inch overhang over the edges of the lattice and flute well.
• If not making the lattice top, fold the 1/4 inch overhang on to itself, and lightly flute.
• Bake pies in a preheated 350°F oven for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the bottom of the crust is light brown, the center is set, and the top of the pies are golden.
• Turn off oven and let the pies cool for an hour in the oven with the oven door slightly (about 2 inches) ajar.
• Remove pies from oven and place on a wire rack.
• When completely cooled, cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill until serving.
• If you like, you can give the pie tops a light sprinkle of powdered sugar before serving.
• Note: Its best to served this pie directly from the pan, as trying to plate the whole pie is more trouble than its worth, and causes breakage.

EASTER WHEAT PIE (PASTIERA DI GRANO) RECIPE - (4.3/5)

Steps:

• Pie crust: Sift flour and sugar into a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or with fingertips to distribute butter evenly through flour. Stir in egg yolks one at a time, mixing with wooden spoon. Work with hands until dough is manageable. Add milk to hold together. Turn into a lightly floured board and knead until smooth. Form into a ball and chill 30 minutes. Then divide the ball in two. Roll out on lightly floured board to about 1/4 thick (large enough to line a deep 10" pie plate). Butter pie plate an line with pastry leaving a 1/2 inch overhang. Roll out other piece of dough and cut into 1/4 inch strips for lattice work topping. Filling: In scalded milk, mix can of wheat 1/4 teaspoon salt and sugar. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add citron and orange peel, set aside. Meanwhile beat ricotta and 1 cup of sugar then add 6 egg yolks, vanilla and orange water. Blend well. Stir in prepared wheat. Then fold-in beaten 4 egg whites. Pour into pie shell. Arrange strips criss-cross over filling to edge and flute heavily. Bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 1 hour or until firm in center. Let cool in oven with door open. Serve sprinkled with confectioners sugar.

PASTIERA DI GRANO

Steps:

• For the Crust:
• Dissolve 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in 1/4 cup of milk.
• Mix all the ingredients well. Knead for 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Shape into a round disk 1/4 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Roll out the dough to fit into 12 1/2 X 1 1/2 inch pie tin.
• For the Pastry Cream:
• Beat the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and egg yolks with a wire whisk in a large saucepan.
• Place on medium heat, add the milk, and whisk until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat and refrigerate. Meanwhile make the filling.
• For the Filling:
• Beat all the ingredients well. Fold in the pastry cream. Pour into a prepared pie tin. Bake for 1 hour at 350°F
• Allow to cool. This can be frozen and thawed to room temperature before serving.

NEAPOLITAN EASTER PIE

Steps:

• Vanilla Pastry Cream:Bring milk and vanilla seeds and pod to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 20 minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually add milk mixture in a slow, steady stream and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 5 minutes.
• Whisking constantly, slowly pour one-third of milk mixture into egg yolks. Pour mixture into remaining milk in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl; discard solids. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, pressing directly on surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until well chilled and firm, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Whisk to soften slightly just before using.
• Crust:In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in orange zest. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated. Reduce speed to low, and beat in flour mixture.
• Divide dough into 2 disks, one larger (approximately two-thirds of dough) and one smaller. Press each piece into a disk; wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour or up to 1 day.
• Filling:Place wheat berries in a medium bowl. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Refrigerate overnight.
• Drain wheat berries, and transfer to a medium saucepan with milk, water, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 1 hour. Drain, and spread on a baking sheet. Let cool about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta and sugar. Add cooled wheat berries and pastry cream. Stir to combine.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger piece of dough to a 14-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Fit into a 10-by-2-inch springform pan. Pour filling into shell. Trim excess dough to 1/2 inch above filling. Roll out remaining piece of dough, 1/8 inch thick. With a pastry wheel, cut into twelve 3/4-inch strips. Weave strips into a lattice over filling; trim lattice flush with edge of dough.
• Lightly beat egg and brush evenly over top of pie. Bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 60 to 90 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool 20 minutes. Run a sharp knife around edge to gently loosen pie. Remove outer ring from springform pan. Let pie cool completely. Serve.

PASTIERA DI PASQUA (ITALIAN EASTER TART WITH RICOTTA)

Steps:

• Bring wheat grains, milk, butter, and 1/2 of the lemon zest to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat. Simmer until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 11-inch tart pan.
• Combine ricotta cheese, sugar, eggs, egg yolks, orange flower water, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Mix in remaining lemon zest and candied orange peel. Fold in wheat mixture and mix filling until well combined.
• Roll out 1 sheet puff pastry on a lightly floured surface so it will fit into the tart pan. Place pastry in the pan and spoon filling on top. Roll out the second puff pastry sheet and cut into 3/4-inch thick strips. Layer a lattice pattern on top of the filling and brush with beaten egg.
• Bake tart in the preheated oven until filling is set and lattice is lightly browned, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool inside the tart pan, at least 1 hour.
• Carefully unmold tart, transfer onto a cake platter. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.