Grain And Ricotta Pie Recipes

EASTER GRAIN PIE

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Pour in wheat and allow to boil 40 minutes. As wheat is cooking, beat eggs in a large bowl while gradually adding 1 cup sugar to eggs. Mix in fruit, ricotta, vanilla extract, cinnamon, lemon rind, and orange rind.
• When wheat is ready, drain in a colander and rinse with warm water. Place 3/4 cup of cooked wheat in a small bowl, and mix in shortening and salt. Stir until shortening is melted, then stir wheat mixture into ricotta mixture along with the rest of the cooked wheat berries.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Line two 9 inch pie pans with pastry. Cut remaining pastry into strips for tops of pies. Spoon half of filling into each pan. Cover with pastry strips to form lattice tops. Crimp edges.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Sprinkle each pie with 1 tablespoon sugar and allow to cool at room temperature. Chill overnight before serving. Store any leftovers in refrigerator.

RICOTTA PIE (OLD ITALIAN RECIPE)

Steps:

• Beat the 12 eggs, 2 cups sugar and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Stir in the ricotta cheese and the chocolate chips, if using (see Cook's Note). Set aside.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, and 1 cup sugar together. Cut in 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in 4 beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Divide dough into 4 balls, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease two deep-dish pie plates.
• Roll out 2 of the balls to fit into the pie pans. Do not make the crust too thick, as it will expand during cooking. Do not flute the edges of the dough. Roll out the other 2 balls of dough and cut each into 8 narrow strips for the top of the crust. (Alternately, you can use cookie cutters and place the cutouts on the top of the pies.)
• Pour the ricotta filling evenly into the pie crusts. Top each pie with 8 narrow strips of dough or cookie cut-outs. Brush top of pie with milk for shine, if desired. Place foil on the edge of crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes; remove foil. Rotate pies on the rack so they will bake evenly. Continue to bake until a knife inserted in the center of each pie comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes more. Cool completely on wire racks. Refrigerate until serving.

GRAIN AND RICOTTA PIE

Steps:

• Spoon the ricotta into a large fine-mesh sieve or a colander lined with a double thickness of cheesecloth or a basket-type coffee filter. Set the sieve over a bowl and cover the ricotta well with plastic wrap. Drain in the refrigerator at least overnight, or up to 24 hours. Discard the liquid in the bottom of the bowl.
• Make the dough:
• Process 2 cups of granulated sugar, 4 egg yolks, and the lemon zest in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade until all ingredients are blended. Add the butter and process, using quick on/off pulses, just until incorporated. Scrape out the dough into a mixing bowl and stir in the flour just until you have a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour, or up to 1 day.
• Make the filling:
• Soak the wheat kernels in a bowl with enough water to cover by three fingers until softened, 3 to 4 hours. Drain well.
• Bring the milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Stir in the drained wheat and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar. Return to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the wheat kernels are tender but still have some bite, about 45 minutes. (Most of the milk will have been absorbed.) Drain, and cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 12-inch springform pan. Roll out two-thirds of the dough into a 16-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Lift the dough circle into the pan, pressing it gently against the bottom and sides and into the corners of the pan. Most likely the dough will tear. Don't be alarmed, simply press the torn edges together after fitting the dough into the pan. Roll out the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle, and slide onto a baking sheet. Refrigerate the lined pan and rolled dough until needed.
• Process the remaining 2 1/4 quarter cups granulated sugar, the eggs, and egg yolks in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade until pale yellow. Spoon in the drained ricotta and add the orange water and cinnamon. Mix, using quick on/off pulses, just until blended. Scrape the ricotta mixture into the bowl with the grain, scatter the candied fruit peel over all, and fold together with a rubber spatula until blended. Scrape the filling into the pre-prepared pastry shell.
• Cut the 12-inch pastry circle into 1/2-inch strips. Make a lattice top by laying strips of the dough in alternating directions over the filling. Press the strips of dough gently to join them to the dough along the sides of the pan and pinch off any overhanging dough.
• Bake until pastry is golden brown and the center feels springy when poked with a finger, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove, and cool completely before serving. The cake will keep, refrigerated, for up to a week. It will be better a day or two after baking. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.

NEAPOLITAN RICOTTA AND WHEATBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Cover wheat berries with cold water in a bowl, then chill, covered, 8 to 12 hours. Drain in a sieve and rinse.
• Make pastry while wheat berries soak:
• Sift together 2 1/4cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and 1/2teaspoon salt. Blend in 1 1/4sticks butter (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 whole eggs and stir with a fork until a crumbly dough forms.
• Turn dough out onto a work surface. Divide in half and with heel of your hand smear each piece of dough twice with a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough and form into 2 disks. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Make filling:
• Bring soaked wheat berries and cold water to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until wheat berries are tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer 5 minutes more. Drain in sieve and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well.
• Whisk together 2 yolks and 1/4 cup sugar, then whisk in cornstarch and remaining 3 tablespoons flour until smooth. Bring milk to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, then gradually add hot milk to yolks, whisking.
• Pour custard into saucepan and bring to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking constantly (custard will get very thick), then boil, whisking, 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and remaining 1/4 stick (2 tablespoons) butter. Transfer pastry cream to a bowl and chill, its surface covered with wax paper.
• Beat together ricotta and remaining 1/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Beat in flower water, pastry cream, and remaining 2 yolks, then stir in zest, citron, cinnamon, and wheat berries.
• Assemble and bake pie:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Roll out half of dough into a 13-inch round on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Fit dough into a 9-inch (24-centimeter) springform pan (dough is very tender and will crack). Press dough against side of pan and patch any cracks. Chill.
• Lightly beat remaining egg. Roll out remaining dough into a 10-inch round and transfer to a baking sheet. Brush dough with some of egg, then cut into 10 (1-inch) strips with fluted pastry wheel.
• Spoon filling into chilled pie crust (filling will not reach top of crust).
• Arrange 5 dough strips vertically on filling (1 inch apart), pressing ends of strips into crust. Arrange remaining 5 strips over them in same manner to form a diagonal lattice. Trim crust 1/2 inch from top of filling, then fold over lattice. Brush edge with some of egg.
• Bake pie in middle of oven until pastry is golden and filling is puffed and set, about 1 1/2 hours, covering top of pie with foil after 50 minutes to prevent over-browning. Transfer to a rack to cool. Run a thin knife around edge of pie and remove side of pan. Chill pie at least 2 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving.