This recipe doesn't say anything about combining the wheat mixture with remaining filling ingredients, but I assume you would stir the wheat mixture in after the pine nuts, raisins, etc.
Ingredients
- 1 quart water
- 1/2 cup cracked wheat
- 1 cup milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups (1 pound) ricotta cheese
- grated rind of 2 lemons
- grated rind of 1 orange
- 1 tablespoon rosewater or orange-flower water or brandy
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup pine nuts (pignoli)
- 1/2 cup raisins, plumped in warm water and drained
- 1/2 cup minced glace' citron
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 recipe Sweet Pastry Dough
- 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
- confectioner's sugar
- Pastry: (Pasta Frolla)
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup butter, creamed
- 1/4 cup lard, creamed
- grated rind of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon brandy
Directions
For the Pastry: Cream yolks with sugar. Beat in 1/4 cup flour. Cream together butter and lard and beat into egg mixture. With a fork, stir in remaining flour, lemon rind and brandy. Stir only until dough is smooth and clears sides of the bowl in a ball. Shape into a ball. Wrap in wax paper. Chill for 1 hour or longer before using. Roll quickly, with a minimum of handling.
For Filling: Put the water into a saucepan,, add the wheat, and soak for 10 minutes. Then bring to the boiling point and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until wheat is soft. Drain. Combine wheat, milk, granulated sugar, and butter in a large saucepan. Bring to the boiling point, reduce heat and cook without a cover, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid. Beat ricotta with lemon and orange rinds and rosewater until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in pine nuts, raisins, citron, and cinnamon. Break off about 2/3 of pastry dough, reserving remaining 1/3. Roll it into a 12-inch round. Grease and flour a deep 10-inch pie pan or springform pan. Spread the round of Sweet Pastry Dough on the bottom of the pan and up the sides for about 2-inches, the way upi line a pan for pie. Spoon in the filling and smooth the top. Roll out the remaining pastry to a thickness of about 1/2-inch, and cut it into 3/4-inch strips. Arrange the strips in a lattice pattern over the filling. With a pastry brush, coat the strips with the beaten egg whites. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the filling is set and the crust is golden brown. Cool, but do not chill. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar before serving.
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Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: The Regional Italian Kitchen
Submitted By: Joy Bowers
joybow@matonline.net
Easter Pie From the Naples Region (La Pastiera di Grana)