I found this shortcrust pastry for pastiera years ago exactly like this: between the pages of my grandmother’s cookbook, one of those treasures that preserve flavors and traditions of the past.
I can’t say for sure whether it’s an original recipe or not, but I know that every time I make it it brings that festive aroma that only traditional dishes can offer.
The recipe I found calls for lard, as Neapolitan tradition might suggest, but I substitute it with butter. The result? A soft, fragrant and irresistible pastry that gently embraces the pastiera filling.
I also leave you the complete recipe to prepare the Pastiera at home
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 1 Piece
- Cooking methods: No-cook
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
Ingredients for the shortcrust pastry
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 7 oz unsalted butter (or lard (≈14 tbsp / about 1 3/4 US sticks))
- 2 eggs
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste orange zest (or lemon)
Tools
- 1 Food processor Bimby tm31 – tm5 – tm6 – tm7
- Bowls
- 1 Grater
- Pots
- Saucepans
Preparation of the shortcrust pastry for pastiera
NOTE: with these quantities you can make 2 pastiere, one with a diameter of 10 1/4 in and the other with a diameter of 8 3/4 in.
Or, 2 pastiere of 8 3/4 in each, or a single one of 11 in.
WITH THE BIMBY: (with the Bimby I kneaded half the batch) Place the sugar and orange zest in the bowl and blend at speed 9 for 10 seconds. Scrape down with a spatula, then add the flour, the butter, the pinch of salt and the egg.
Run at speed 4 for 30 seconds. Remove the dough and shape it into a ball with your hands. Wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Then use it to prepare the pastiera.
WITHOUT THE BIMBY: Work the flour with cold butter until the mixture has a “sandy” texture. Add the sugar, salt, grated orange zest and the lightly beaten egg. Work with your hands until you form a compact, homogeneous dough. Wrap it in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes up to one hour.
Two tips for you: If you want an even more fragrant pastry, add a teaspoon of orange blossom water to match the filling. And to avoid it breaking, roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper using a rolling pin.
TIPS and NOTES
🌡️ Temperature and times
Bake the pastiera at 320–338°F in a conventional oven.
The time varies depending on the pan, but generally 80–90 minutes are ideal.
The surface should turn golden and slightly amber, never too dark.
🧑🍳 The golden rule: don’t rush
The pastiera needs slow and steady baking: avoid high temperatures that would make the filling rise and then collapse, creating deep cracks.
🧊 Storage of the shortcrust pastry
In the fridge: up to 48 hours, well wrapped in cling film.
In the freezer: up to 2 months.
Before using it, let it soften slightly at room temperature so you can roll it out without cracks.
