Easter Wheat Pie (Pastiera Di Grano)

By slurpey7

A delicious traditional Italian dessert pie filled with sweet ricotta and grains. Easter would not be complete without one!

Ingredients

• PIE CRUST:
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon milk
• FILLING:
• 1 Can Asti wheat
• 1/4 cup hot (scalded milk)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 pounds Ricotta cheese
• 6 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 tablespoon orange water
• 1/4 cup diced citron
• 1/4 diced orange peels (can use half lemon and half orange for good flavor)
• 4 egg whites, beaten stiff
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

Pie crust:

Sift flour and sugar into a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or with fingertips to distribute butter evenly through flour. Stir in egg yolks one at a time, mixing with wooden spoon. Work with hands until dough is manageable. Add milk to hold together. Turn into a lightly floured board and knead until smooth.

Form into a ball and chill 30 minutes. Then divide the ball in two.

Roll out on lightly floured board to about 1/4 thick (large enough to line a deep 10" pie plate). Butter pie plate an line with pastry leaving a 1/2 inch overhang. Roll out other piece of dough and cut into 1/4 inch strips for lattice work topping.

Filling:

In scalded milk, mix can of wheat 1/4 teaspoon salt and sugar. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add citron and orange peel, set aside.

Meanwhile beat ricotta and 1 cup of sugar then add 6 egg yolks, vanilla and orange water. Blend well. Stir in prepared wheat. Then fold-in beaten 4 egg whites. Pour into pie shell. Arrange strips criss-cross over filling to edge and flute heavily.

Bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 1 hour or until firm in center. Let cool in oven with door open.

Serve sprinkled with confectioners sugar.