This month you can really impress your mom or grandmother by making this authentic Italian recipe by Chef Antonio Vitale from Roof Garden Restaurant & Bar on the rooftop terrace of Hotel Mediterraneo in Italy.
NEAPOLITAN PASTIERA
INGREDIENTS FOR PASTRY
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1¼ cups butter
• 1¼ cups sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING
• 3 cups ricotta, preferably sheep’s milk, forced through a sieve
• 2¼ cups sugar
• 6 eggs, separated
• 2½ cups cooked wheat (available from Italian specialty food stores)
• Zest of 4 lemons, finely minced
• 1 tsp. orange blossom water
• 1 tsp. cinnamon powder
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tbsp. of Limoncello
• 1 cup mixed candied fruit
Bettoja Hotels’ Hotel Mediterraneo
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 320°F.
2. Begin by making the pastry. Pour the flour onto the work surface. Make a well in the center and add 1¼ cups of sugar, butter, and salt. Form the dough into a ball and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator wrapped in Saran wrap.
3. While the dough is resting, make the filling. Add the ricotta to a large bowl and mix in 2¼ cups sugar. Stir in the 6 egg yolks one at a time. Add the cooked wheat, lemon zest, orange blossom water, cinnamon, vanilla, Limoncello, and candied fruit.
4. Beat the egg whites till they form stiff peaks, and fold into filling.
5. Remove the pastry from the fridge and divide into two parts, one slightly larger than the other. Roll out the larger part into a disc about 3/8 inch thick and 11 inches in diameter. Grease a falsebottom tart pan, and insert the disc in the pan, trimming to remove the excess using your rolling pin.
6. Roll out the remaining dough and cut into strips about 3/4 inch wide.
7. Pour the filling into the tart pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Top with strips at 90-degree angles to form a lattice crust. Bake for about 80 minutes, or until pastry is golden.
8. Sprinkle the cooled pie with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with whipped cream.