Pastiera Napoletana

Ingredients (for 8-10 people):

Shortcrust Pastry:

• 315g Flour 00
• 135g Sugar
• 180g Butter or Lard
• 3 Egg yolks

Filling:

• 350g Grano cotto
• 250ml Milk
• 30g Butter or Lard
• 1 Lemon, zest only
• 3 Eggs
• 350g Sugar
• 350g Ricotta
• 50g Candied citron
• 50g Candied orange
• 20g of orange blossom water
• 1 Vanilla bean
• 1 Pinch cinnamon powder
• 15g Orange blossom water

Preparation:

1. Begin by making the pastry. Place the flour, sugar and butter in a bowl and start kneading by hand until it has the consistency of breadcrumbs.
   
2. Add the egg yolks and mix with your hands until a smooth and uniform dough is obtained. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour to chill.
   
3. In the meantime the filling is prepared. Place the grano cotto in a saucepan and add the milk, butter and lemon zest. Cook for about 20 minutes over medium heat until the mixture is creamy. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
   
4. Start preparing the cream. In a bowl, strain the ricotta and add the sugar. Mix with a whisk or spatula, then add the eggs, wheat and vanilla bean.
   
5. Cut both the candied orange and citron into cubes. Combine the candied cube mixture, orange blossom water and a pinch of cinnamon.
6. Stir together until all ingredients have been combined and move on to the composition of the pastiera.
   
7. Preheat the oven to 180°C and butter a 24cm x 4cm cake tin.
   
8. Evenly roll out the shortcrust pastry until a thickness of about half a cm is obtained, carefully lining the cake tin. Pour in the filling, trimming the pastry from the edges of the tin to leave a neat edge. Reserve any spare pastry to decorate.
   
9. Using a pasta wheel, cut strips long enough to be placed across the cake tin. Place 4 of them across the top of the pastiera in one direction and then place the other 4 diagonally to create lozenge shapes.
   
10. Trim the edges of the strips against the edge of the tin and place the pastiera in the oven preheated to 180 ° for about 1 hour.
    
11. After this time, cover the top with a piece of tin foil and cook for another 20 minutes. Allow it to cool completely in the tin before carefully turning it out.
    
12. Before serving the pastiera cold you can sprinkle the surface with icing sugar to taste. Your pastiera is ready to be enjoyed!

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