Pastiera or Italian Easter Pie
Ever since I was a child, I’ve loved pastiera. A Neapolitan ricotta based pie, Napoletana pastiera is traditionally eaten by Italians on Easter. Two of my grandparents were from a small town right outside of Naples, and so their families brought their recipes with them when they immigrated from Italy. When my grandmother used to make this pie she always used rice in the filling, explaining that back in Italy, pastiera was made with farro. But because farro wasn’t widely available in the United States at the time, she substituted rice. Rice was not an ideal substitute, as it is not nearly as chewy as farro. Nevertheless, like many other immigrants, my grandmother always found ways to improvise so that she could bring the food and memories from her past into the new world.
When my own mom began making pastiera, she went to a local Italian specialty shop and bought ricotta in a metal container. There were holes pierced in the sides and bottom, which allowed the extra whey to drain out. Over the years, producers of ricotta have engineered ways to process the ricotta, so that it is more homogeneous and less creamy. As a result, grocery store ricotta is more gelled than the original product. Either will work fine for this recipe, but if you can find ricotta made from just whole milk, starter, and salt, that’s what I would recommend. This variety still comes in a metal container with small holes in the side; once opened, it sits in a saucer in my refrigerator, reminding me of a bygone era.
Like most pies, pastiera has a crust, a filling, and a top crust (in this case a lattice top crust). Growing up, my mother made a double recipe in a 9“x13” rectangular cake pan. The rectangular shape meant that the center pieces had very little crust, while the corner pieces ended up with a disproportionately large share of the crust. As kids, my siblings and I loved the crust, as it is rich, buttery, and tender. My father, who also grew up eating pastiera, loved the crust as much as we did, but always saved the precious corner pieces for his kids. My father was a very difficult man. If you crossed paths with him, it would most likely end up being an unpleasant interaction. People are always a combination of difficult and good, with the proportion of the two being what varies most from person to person. To this day, whenever I eat pastiera, I’m always reminded of this small, sweet gift from my difficult father. He was an imposing man with a big appetite, yet whenever he cut himself a piece of pastiera, he always began in the center. Even when he took the first piece, he always made sure to leave the sides and especially the corner pieces for his children. That memory both surprises me and makes me smile every time I have a slice of pastiera.
Pastiera
Makes one 9” (23 cm) Pie
Crust:
⅔ cup - 4.7 ounces or 133 grams granulated sugar
2⅔ cups - 11.5 ounces or 326 grams all-purpose flour (see note on how I measure flour here)
2½ teaspoons - 0.3 ounces or 7 grams baking powder
½ teaspoon - 3 grams kosher salt
2 sticks (8 ounces or 227 grams) butter - cold, cubed
3 egg yolks from large eggs
1½ tablespoons - .8 ounces or 21 grams water
Filling:
1⅓ cups - 12 ounces or 340 grams whole milk ricotta
½ cup - 3.5 ounces or 99 grams granulated sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
½ teaspoon - 2.5 grams kosher salt
1½ teaspoon - 3 grams cinnamon
2 teaspoons - 6 grams vanilla
½ cup - ~3.2 ounces or 91 grams dry farro
Farro:
Begin by preparing the farro so that it has time to cool. Combine the farro with twice the quantity of water (½ cup farro and 1 cup water). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for ~18-20 minutes. Keep a watch on it, especially towards the completion of the cooking time as you may need to add a splash more water. Drain off any excess water (there probably won’t be any), then set ¾ cup (5 ounces or 142 grams) farro aside to cool (you may have a spoonful extra). Check farro package instructions for specific timing, as pearled farro (which has been par-boiled and dried to shorten the cooking time) will need less time. This step can be done early in the day, or a few days ahead and refrigerated.
Crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Take a 9” (23 cm) high-sided round cake pan, and butter and line it with parchment paper. You can also use a springform pan (this won’t need parchment, but it will need butter).
Combine sugar, flour, salt, and baking powder in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add cubed, cold butter and pulse until small peas form. Add egg yolks and 1½ tablespoons of water and process until combined, scraping down sides as needed. It should still be crumbly, but will clump together when squeezed. Alternatively, the crust can be prepared in a bowl using a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients and then stir in the remaining ingredients. Save ~8 ounces (~2 cups, not packed) or 227 grams dough for making the lattice top.
Begin by pressing the crumbly dough around the insides of the cake pan and then fill in the bottom. I aim for 1¾” or 4.5 cm up the sides of the pan as the filling does rise as it cooks. The crust is delicious, so don’t be shy. Use it all (except, of course, what you already set aside for the lattice).
Press the reserved dough into a rough rectangle shape, preferably on a piece of parchment paper (this makes the lattices easier to set aside while making the filling). Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rough ~10” x 13” (25x33 cm) rectangle. Keep in mind that this lattice work is much more rustic than the more fussy lattice work used on fruit pies. Due to the eggs, the pastiera filling rises as it cooks, while the lattice puffs because of the baking powder. This will hide the clumsy piecemeal look of the crust. See my picture above as an example. When some of the lattice strips broke, I just moved forward, fixing the lattice as I went.
Using a crimped pastry wheel (or even just a knife), cut the dough into strips. I cut my pieces into ~1” wide pieces, but any size you prefer works. Slide a cookie sheet under the parchment paper, and set aside as you make the filling.
Filling:
Begin by beating the ricotta with the sugar until smooth. Add eggs and yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the salt, cinnamon and vanilla and beat one final time. Stir in ¾ cup (5 ounces or 142 grams) cooled farro. Pour filling into crust. Using a large offset spatula to lift one lattice at a time, top the filled pie with pieces of lattice alternating the direction of the lattices (i.e., a vertical lattice followed by a horizontal lattice, and so on). Do not try to weave the lattice work; it is much too fragile. Place immediately into the hot oven. If using a springform pan, place a half sheet pan under to catch any possible butter leakage. Everyone hates cleaning the oven floor.
Bake ~1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°-165°F (71-74°C), or until a toothpick comes out clean. This is not a cheesecake, so it will not jiggle. I very rarely use a springform pan, so after 1 hour cooling time, I use a knife to loosen the sides, then flip the pie out (see my pictures above). Once the pie is out, I flip it right side up again. Although you may be tempted to refrigerate this pie because it contains ricotta, resist that urge. It is infinitely better stored and served at room temperature. Trust me on this.
