La Pastiera di Grano
Recipe By :Michele Scicolone
Serving Size : 12
8 ounces hulled wheat berries
For crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter -- softened
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon orange-flower water
For filling:
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter -- softened
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 pound whole-milk ricotta cheese -- (2 cups)
4 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoon orange-flower water
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup candied citron -- chopped
1/2 cup candied orange peel -- chopped
Up to 1 cup milk (optional)
Confectioners’ sugar
1. Place the wheat in a large bowl, and let soak overnight in a cool place.
2. To make dough: Combine flour, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg yolk and beat until smooth. Beat in orange-flower water. Add dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Shape dough into 2 disks, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
3. To make filling: Drain soaked wheat and place it in a sautepan with salt and water to cover. Simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until wheat is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and place in large bowl. Stir in butter and orange zest. Let cool.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, sugar, orange flower water and cinnamon. Beat until blended. Stir in wheat mixture, citron, and orange peel. Mixture should resemble a thick porridge. If it is too stiff, thin with a little milk.
5. Roll out larger piece of dough into a 15-inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch-by-3-inch springform pan. Pour in filling and smooth the top.
6. Roll out remaining dough into 10-inch circle. Cut the dough into 1/2-inch-wide strips (with a fluted pastry cutter, if possible). Place the strips over filling in a lattice pattern. Press ends
against the bottom pastry to seal. Bake for 11/2 hours, or until well-browned on top. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove rim of pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Recipe By :Michele Scicolone
Serving Size : 12
8 ounces hulled wheat berries
For crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter -- softened
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon orange-flower water
For filling:
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter -- softened
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 pound whole-milk ricotta cheese -- (2 cups)
4 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoon orange-flower water
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup candied citron -- chopped
1/2 cup candied orange peel -- chopped
Up to 1 cup milk (optional)
Confectioners’ sugar
1. Place the wheat in a large bowl, and let soak overnight in a cool place.
2. To make dough: Combine flour, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg yolk and beat until smooth. Beat in orange-flower water. Add dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Shape dough into 2 disks, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
3. To make filling: Drain soaked wheat and place it in a sautepan with salt and water to cover. Simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until wheat is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and place in large bowl. Stir in butter and orange zest. Let cool.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, sugar, orange flower water and cinnamon. Beat until blended. Stir in wheat mixture, citron, and orange peel. Mixture should resemble a thick porridge. If it is too stiff, thin with a little milk.
5. Roll out larger piece of dough into a 15-inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch-by-3-inch springform pan. Pour in filling and smooth the top.
6. Roll out remaining dough into 10-inch circle. Cut the dough into 1/2-inch-wide strips (with a fluted pastry cutter, if possible). Place the strips over filling in a lattice pattern. Press ends
against the bottom pastry to seal. Bake for 11/2 hours, or until well-browned on top. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove rim of pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar before serving.