Easter Wheat Pie (Pastiera Napoletana di Grano)

Sometimes called Easter Grain Pie, this Italian dish is a holiday tradition, especially in the southern part of the country. The wheat-based crust is symbolic of springtime, and is filled with a sweet ricotta before it’s baked. From the online series Cooking With Nonna, this version includes small pieces of candied fruit, sure to appeal to kids. Recipe courtesy of Grandparents.com.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

½ pound wheat berries or hulled wheat (from soft wheat) (for the filling)
8 large eggs, separated (for the filling)
3 pounds ricotta cheese (for the filling)
2 cups granulated sugar (for the filling)
2 tablespoons vanilla extract (for the filling)
Candied fruit pieces (optional) (for the filling)
5 cups all-purpose flour (for the pastry dough)
1 cup granulated sugar (for the pastry dough)
6 large eggs (for the pastry dough)
Pinch salt (for the pastry dough)
1 lemon, zested (for the pastry dough)
5 tablespoons vegetable shortening (for the pastry dough)

Instructions

To prepare wheat for the filling:
Rinse hulled wheat with water and place in a large bowl. Add enough cold water to cover and let soak overnight in the refrigerator. Drain the wheat and place in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 to 30 minutes, until tender. Cool completely for use in the recipe.
In a large bowl, beat 8 egg yolks. (Set egg whites aside in a separate bowl for later.) Add ricotta, wheat, and sugar. Mix until well incorporated. Add vanilla and candied fruit pieces and mix well. Beat egg whites until fluffy and foamy and fold into ricotta mixture.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, 6 eggs, pinch of salt, and lemon zest. Knead until a dough is formed.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease baking pans with shortening and set aside. Cut a piece of the dough, according to the size of the pan, and roll it out with a rolling pin. The dough should not be too thick. Lay dough into the greased baking pan. Fill the pan with the ricotta mixture.
For the top crust, cut another smaller piece of dough and roll very thin. Cut this into strips and place across top of pie, in a criss-cross pattern. Press the dough edges together with a fork, like a pie.
Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

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Girl on Fire

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Brandy is the wife to a carpenter/musician and the mother of 3 amazingly awesome homeschool/unschooled girls. Brandy is a Photographer as well as a Coach for the Weebellion as part of Rolling Rebellion Jr. Roller Derby. Brandy is passionate about many things and suffers from a very painful and degenerative neurological disease called CRPS/RSD.