The Neapolitan pastierine are the single-portion version of one of the iconic desserts of the Neapolitan tradition. They are small tartlets made with a fragrant, crumbly sweet shortcrust pastry, filled with a creamy mixture of ricotta, cooked wheat and aromatic flavors. Ideal to prepare in advance, they develop their fullest flavor after resting. At Easter, especially in Naples and surrounding areas, they are practically a staple on the table: the scent of orange blossom fills the house as early as Holy Thursday or Good Friday, when they are prepared calmly, often with family. Some follow grandma’s recipe to the letter, others add their own secret touch, but the result is always the same: a dessert that tastes of celebration, spring and home. Pastierine are also perfect to take along when visiting relatives or to share after the Easter lunch. Below we’ll see together how to prepare them:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: about 9
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter (or lard)
- a pinch of salt
- 1 medium egg
- 1 egg yolk
- grated zest of 1/2 orange and 1/2 lemon
- 3/4 cup cooked wheat (for pastiera)
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 2/3 cup sheep's ricotta
- the whole peels of 1/2 orange and 1/2 lemon
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp butter
- Half vial orange blossom extract
- a pinch of ground cinnamon
- vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup mixed candied peel (orange and citron)
Steps
Begin by preparing the sweet shortcrust pastry: in a bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt and the grated lemon and orange zest. Then add the cold butter cut into pieces, incorporate the egg and the yolk and knead quickly until you form a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Meanwhile, put the cooked wheat in a saucepan with the milk, the butter and the lemon and orange peels. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring continuously. Let cool and remove the peels.
Drain the ricotta well, pass it through a sieve and work it with the sugar. Add the eggs and the yolk, the orange blossom extract, the cinnamon, the vanilla and the chopped (or blended, if you prefer) candied peel. Finally, incorporate the now-cold cooked wheat and mix until you obtain a homogeneous filling.
Take the pastry back from the fridge, roll it out on a lightly floured surface and line buttered molds about 3 1/8 in (8 cm) in diameter. Fill with the filling without reaching the edge and decorate with the classic braided shortcrust strips.
Bake in a preheated static oven at 338°F for about 35-40 minutes until golden. Turn off the oven and leave the pastierine inside with the door slightly open.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Let rest at least 24 hours before serving, finishing optionally with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Enjoy and… see you with the next recipe!
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