Pastiera
Recipe By: Dolce Italiano: Desserts From The Babbo Kitchen
Serving Size: 10
Ingredients:
For the Pasta Frolla: (adapted from Dolce Italiano: Desserts From The Babbo Kitchen)
2 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Grated zest of 1 lemon or 1 small orange
3/4 cup (1½ sticks, 6 oz.) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small even cubes
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
a few drops of ice water, if necessary
For the Filling and to assemble:
10 ounces or 285 gms of cooked wheat or canned granocotto
1/2 cup whole milk
2 Tablespoons plus ½ cup granulated sugar
Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 ounces or 340 gms fresh ricotta, smoothed in the food processor
2 extra-large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange flower water, or freshly grated zest of 1 orange
2 tablespoons diced candied orange
2 tablespoons diced candied citron
1 additional egg for egg wash
Directions:
1. Place the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and citrus zest in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to combine the dry ingredients.
2. Add all of the cold, cubed butter to the bowl, and process until the mixture is sandy and there are no visible lumps of butter. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract and heavy cream. Add the wet ingredients to the food processor and pulse three or four times or until the dough comes together. If necessary, add some ice water, a few drops at a time, to make the dough come together.
3. Remove the dough from the food processor and knead a few times by hand to even out any dry or wet spots. Form the dough into a ball, flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic and chill until firm, 1 to 2 hours, before rolling it out.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 ° and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
5. On a floured board, roll the tart dough into an 11-inch circle, 1/8 th of an inch thick. Transfer the dough to a 10-inch pie plate or deep tart pan by rolling the dough around the pin like a carpet and then unrolling it onto the pan. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan, then trim the dough to leave a ½ inch overhang. Gather the scraps and re-chill them to roll out later for the lattice top. Chill the tart shell while you make the filling.
6. Place the cooked grain, milk, sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon in a 2-quart saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon until the mixture is creamy – the grains will retain their shape, but the rest of the mixture should be soft and smooth, and there should be no big clumps of grain; it should resemble creamy oatmeal. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to lukewarm.
7. When the grain mixture has cooled, place the smoothed-out ricotta in a large bowl and whisk in the eggs, vanilla, orange flower water or zest. Mix in the grain mixture and candied fruits, making sure all the ingredients are completely combined.
8. Set the filling aside while you roll out the remaining pasta frolla into a rectangle at least 11 inches long and 6 inches wide. Using a pastry cutter, cut ½ to ¾ inch-wide strips. Pour the filling into the chilled shell and carefully arrange the strips on top in a lattice pattern pinching the edges together with the overhang. Trim all the pastry flush with the top of the pan.
9. Use a fork to slightly beat the egg with a small splash of water to make an egg wash. With a pastry brush, glaze the pastry strips and edges. Bake the pastiera on the middle rack of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating it 180 ° after 20 minutes to ensure even browning. The pastiera is done when the filling is puffing and set, and the pastry is golden brown. Remove it from the oven and set it to cool on a rack.
10. Allow the pastiera to cool completely or overnight before cutting it into wedges to serve.
Recipe By: Dolce Italiano: Desserts From The Babbo Kitchen
Serving Size: 10
Ingredients:
For the Pasta Frolla: (adapted from Dolce Italiano: Desserts From The Babbo Kitchen)
2 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Grated zest of 1 lemon or 1 small orange
3/4 cup (1½ sticks, 6 oz.) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small even cubes
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
a few drops of ice water, if necessary
For the Filling and to assemble:
10 ounces or 285 gms of cooked wheat or canned granocotto
1/2 cup whole milk
2 Tablespoons plus ½ cup granulated sugar
Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 ounces or 340 gms fresh ricotta, smoothed in the food processor
2 extra-large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange flower water, or freshly grated zest of 1 orange
2 tablespoons diced candied orange
2 tablespoons diced candied citron
1 additional egg for egg wash
Directions:
1. Place the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and citrus zest in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to combine the dry ingredients.
2. Add all of the cold, cubed butter to the bowl, and process until the mixture is sandy and there are no visible lumps of butter. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract and heavy cream. Add the wet ingredients to the food processor and pulse three or four times or until the dough comes together. If necessary, add some ice water, a few drops at a time, to make the dough come together.
3. Remove the dough from the food processor and knead a few times by hand to even out any dry or wet spots. Form the dough into a ball, flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic and chill until firm, 1 to 2 hours, before rolling it out.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 ° and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
5. On a floured board, roll the tart dough into an 11-inch circle, 1/8 th of an inch thick. Transfer the dough to a 10-inch pie plate or deep tart pan by rolling the dough around the pin like a carpet and then unrolling it onto the pan. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan, then trim the dough to leave a ½ inch overhang. Gather the scraps and re-chill them to roll out later for the lattice top. Chill the tart shell while you make the filling.
6. Place the cooked grain, milk, sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon in a 2-quart saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon until the mixture is creamy – the grains will retain their shape, but the rest of the mixture should be soft and smooth, and there should be no big clumps of grain; it should resemble creamy oatmeal. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to lukewarm.
7. When the grain mixture has cooled, place the smoothed-out ricotta in a large bowl and whisk in the eggs, vanilla, orange flower water or zest. Mix in the grain mixture and candied fruits, making sure all the ingredients are completely combined.
8. Set the filling aside while you roll out the remaining pasta frolla into a rectangle at least 11 inches long and 6 inches wide. Using a pastry cutter, cut ½ to ¾ inch-wide strips. Pour the filling into the chilled shell and carefully arrange the strips on top in a lattice pattern pinching the edges together with the overhang. Trim all the pastry flush with the top of the pan.
9. Use a fork to slightly beat the egg with a small splash of water to make an egg wash. With a pastry brush, glaze the pastry strips and edges. Bake the pastiera on the middle rack of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating it 180 ° after 20 minutes to ensure even browning. The pastiera is done when the filling is puffing and set, and the pastry is golden brown. Remove it from the oven and set it to cool on a rack.
10. Allow the pastiera to cool completely or overnight before cutting it into wedges to serve.