Recipe: Easter Grain Pie (Pastiera Napoletana) (using ricotta cheese)

EASTER GRAIN PIE
(PASTIERA NAPOLETANA)

FOR THE CRUST:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks
Pinch of salt

FOR THE CREAM:
1 1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. orange zest
1/2 vanilla pod
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 Tbsp. corn starch

FOR THE FILLING:
1 cup sugar
2 eggs yolks
17 oz. ricotta cheese
3 Tbsp candied fruit
1 (14 oz) can cooked wheat
3 Tbsp orange blossom water

TO PREPARE THE CRUST:
Mix the flour, 1/2 cup sugar and salt then mix in the butter and 2 egg yolks. Work the dough quickly until it starts to smooth out, better with a knife to avoid warming it, then wrap it in a plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.

TO PREPARE THE CREAM:
While the crust is in the fridge you can start the cream. Warm the milk in a sauce pan with the orange zest and the vanilla.

Mix the 1/4 cup sugar and 2 egg yolks with a fork or a wire whisk and then mix in the cornstarch. Now slowly add the hot milk to the batter always mixing with the wire whisk. When I add the milk I prefer to pass it through a strainer so I eliminate the vanilla seeds.

Simmer the cream until it thickens, mixing constantly with a wooden spoon. Pour it into a bowl and cool it quickly by setting it on ice.

NOW PREPARE THE REST OF THE FILLING:
Beat the 1 cup sugar with 2 egg yolks and then add the ricotta cheese and combine well to avoid lumps. Add the cream mixture to the ricotta mixture along with the candied fruit, grain and the orange blossom water and mix well.

Now take out the dough and roll it out between two sheets of oven paper. Roll it to about 1/4 inch thick. Place the dough, paper and all into a 11 inch spring form pan then remove the sheet of oven paper on top. Cut away the extra dough that extends out of the pan and poke the bottom of the crust with a fork several times. Pour in the filling.

Roll out the remaining dough, cut it into 3/4 inch wide strips and lay them across the top in two directions creating a checker board effect.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour. If it starts to get too brown cover with aluminum foil.

Let cool before serving it is best to leave it overnight so the flavors combine well.