La Pastiera Napoletana di Grano = Grain pie or Easter pie
by Cindi Sutter, Founder & Editor - Recipe Content and Images from Daniel Paterna’s book Feast of the Seven Fishes – A Brooklyn-Italian’s Recipes Celebrating Food and Family
Easter Pie - “My mother ready to apply confectioner's sugar. Is it a dessert or meal in its own right? The debate continues-I often enjoy it as breakfast!” - Daniel Paterna
Grain pie or Easter pie is made with grain, usually cooked the day before it is served. Each pie serves 8.
Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra to dust board and pan
¾ cup sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease the pan
2 medium eggs unrefrigerated
Place the flour, sugar, and zest on a pastry board or clean, dry flat surface. Mix thoroughly to combine. Add the butter and work it into the dry ingredients. Gather the mixture into a mound and create a well in the center.
Place the eggs into the center of the well. Beat the eggs with a fork, gradually incorporating the flour mixture into the eggs. When all of the dry ingredients are absorbed by the egg mixture, gather the dough with your hands and knead it into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Butter and flour two 9-inch baking pans. Set aside.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling, starting with the custard.
Custard:
½ cup sugar
5 teaspoons flour
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 peeled lemon rind
4 medium egg yolks
Combine the sugar, milk, vanilla, flour, and eggs in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until the mixture becomes like
Meanwhile, prepare the filling, starting with the custard pudding. Remove it from the heat and allow to cool.
Filling:
8 medium eggs
1 pound cooked pearl barley (can also use Fratelli D’Amico brand)
3 pounds ricotta cheese, drained
2 teaspoons vanilla
1½ cups sugar
2 teaspoon Aroma Millefiori (a thousand flowers) concentrate, optional
¼ cup candied pear, optional
Using a fork, combine the eggs, barley, cheese, vanilla, sugar, and Aroma Millefiori in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly, do not use a mixer. Fold the cooled custard into the filling mixture and set aside while you prepare the crust. If you can’t find pre-boiled barley, make your own by boiling barley for approximately 30 minutes in a medium saucepan with the rind of one orange.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface. Pinch off ¼ of the dough, cover it with the plastic, and set aside for the lattice/crosshatch* top crust. Roll the larger piece out into a 14–15-inch circle. Now roll the dough over the rolling pin and carefully unwind it over the springform baking pan, gently easing it to fit evenly in the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Pour or spoon the filling mixture into the crust, leaving about 1 inch below the rim of the pan.
Heat the oven to 350°F.
Roll a circle out of the smaller piece of dough previously set aside for the top crust. Cut the circle into 1-inch strips. Place the strips in a lattice/crosshatch* pattern across the top of the pie filling. Place it in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes or until middle is slightly firm and top is golden.
Cool for at least 2 hours. I have left it unrefrigerated overnight to save time.
Carefully run a plastic knife or ridged spatula between crust and side of the pan to remove it, so no crust is pulled away when you release the spring of the pan. Serve at room temperature with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar.
*I use four strips for each pie, but a lattice of 6 strips is more traditional if you have enough dough leftover.
BOOK INFORMATION
Publisher: powerHouse Books, a division of Penguin Random House
Release date: November 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-57687-930-6
Price: $39.95 US / $53.95 CAN
Pages: 256
Publicity: Mindbuck Media Book Publicity, Mindbuck Media Book Publicity, emily@mindbuckmedia.com