Menu
close
EXPLORE CLASSES
Menu
close
BOOK NOW

HOW TO MAKE

Pastiera Napoletana

Neapolitan ricotta cheese Easter pie

120 MinuteS to prepare and cook
Medium Difficulty
Want to learn how to cook this authentic Italian recipe of Pastiera Napoletana? Sign up today for chef Riccardo Alberti’s next class.

Recipe Overview

On Holy Thursday, in Neapolitan kitchens the women of the house prepare Easter baked specialties (such as Babà or Casatiello) that need slow and gentle rising... in the meantime, they focus on another traditional recipe that is a must on the Easter Sunday table: Pastiera Napoletana (Neapolitan ricotta cheese Easter pie)!

The ritual foresees that the oldest person of the family is in charge of judging the various cakes and decreeing the best one.

Like every self-respecting regional dessert, the recipe for pastiera, the unmissable dessert of Easter menus, is slightly different in every family. Riccardo’s version tried to follow the Napolitan traditional recipe. Ready to cook it?

 Ingredients

Total Served: 8

For the pastry:

1
315 grams (2 ½ cups) Soft Wheat Flour Type 00 (Cake Flour or All-Purpose Flour)
2
155 grams (0,7 cup) Butter
3
135 grams (0,68 cup) Granulated sugar
4
3 Yolks

For the cooking of the cooked wheat:

1
350 grams (12,3 oz) Jarred Cooked Wheat
2
100 grams (0,4 cup) Whole milk
3
30 grams (2 tbsp) Lard or Butter
4
Lemon zest

For the cream:

1
400 grams (14,1 oz) Ricotta
2
350 grams (1,4 cup) Granulated sugar
3
3 Eggs
4
100 grams (3,5 oz) Candied Fruit (orange - cedrus), optional
5
1 Vanilla bean
6
1 Pinch Cinnamon powder
7
Soft Wheat Flour Type 00
8
Butter

Equipment Needed to Make Pastiera Napoletana

The following tools will be used to create Pastiera Napoletana. Not all of them are necessary and can be replaced with more manual operations, but we suggest using all of these to make the recipe as easy-to-create and yummy as possible. Click on any of the items to learn more about them and purchase them.
Working surface
Rolling pin
Stand mixer (optional)
MIxing bowls
Tart pan (Ø 22cm - 24 cm)
Saucepan
Sieve
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Spatula
Plastic wrap
Fluted wheel cutter

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions for Pastiera Napoletana

Let’s get started with creating Pastiera Napoletana. Follow the instructions in order below to create this tasty fall dish.
Make the shortcrust pastry:
1
Pour the flour and sugar into a bowl, add the butter and start kneading by hand.
2
Add the yolks and keep working in the bowl.
3
Once you get an evenly textured dough, transfer it to a work surface and continue kneading until you get a nice and smooth dough.
4
Wrap in plastic and let it rest in the fridge for an hour or so.
Cook the wheat:
1
In a saucepan over medium heat, add the wheat, the milk, the butter and the lemon zest and cook it for about 20 minutes until to obtain a creamy mixture.
2
Once cooked, cool it down.
Make the cream:
1
Using a spatula, mix the ricotta with the sugar in a large bowl.
2
Add the eggs and the cooked wheat and mix again. Finish adding the candied fruits, the cinnamon and the vanilla seeds, mix to combine.
Assemble the pie:
1
Butter and flour the mold. Using a rolling pin, roll out the pastry to a thickness of 0,5 cm/ ¼ in.
2
Transfer the pastry in the tart pan and cut the excess dough with a knife.
3
Pour the cream inside and level it.
4
Use the leftover pastry dough: knead it, roll it out and cut it in long strips to decorate the top of the pie with the lozenges.
Cook the Pastiera:
1
Bake the pie in a static oven preheated to 180°C/ 350°F for about 50 minutes.
2
Move the cake to the lowest rack for the last 20 minutes of cooking.
3
If the surface should darken too much, cover the top with aluminum foil.
4
Before serving, sprinkle the surface with powdered sugar to taste.
Buon Appetito!
Share your creation with everyone
Tag Chef Riccardo Alberti, @riccardocookingclass

Receive Exclusive Recipes From Chef Riccardo

Chef Riccardo is constantly creating new recipes and sharing traditional Italian recipes from his family. Be the first to receive new recipes before they are launched on the website.