The rice pastiera is a traditional Easter dessert from the Campania region, less known than the classic Neapolitan pastiera but just as good; it consists of a shortcrust pastry shell and a delicious filling made with rice, ricotta, and citrus fruits.
The preparation is simple, although a bit long, but the result is absolutely fantastic.
The origins of the rice pastiera are very ancient and historically precede the version with cooked wheat. Historically, the filling of the pastiera was made of boiled pasta (spaghetti or cappellini) enriched with eggs, sugar, and ricotta, a version confirmed by some of my readers who still prepare their great-grandmothers’ recipe with cappellini or with cappellini and rice together. The name “pastiera” indeed seems to derive from the first layer made with boiled pasta.
Over time, spaghetti was replaced with rice, a cereal available all year round, and the filling was enriched with citrus fruits, liqueurs, orange blossoms, and candied fruits. The rice pastiera is widespread in many Campanian cities, especially in the areas of Benevento and Salerno, while the cooked wheat pastiera is typical of Naples.
Traditionally, the pastieras are prepared on Holy Thursday, left to rest for a couple of days, and served on Easter Sunday; the resting time enhances the flavor.
Before proceeding with the recipe, let me suggest my variants of rice pastiera and some special Easter desserts:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 10
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter, Autumn, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 323.50 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 49.29 (g) of which sugars 28.36 (g)
- Proteins 6.69 (g)
- Fat 11.94 (g) of which saturated 7.50 (g)of which unsaturated 4.30 (g)
- Fibers 0.70 (g)
- Sodium 32.71 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cups butter
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 oz eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Half vanilla bean (or a teaspoon of vanilla extract)
- 1 tsp lemon zest (grated)
- 2 2/3 cups milk
- 3/4 cups Carnaroli rice (or Arborio or Vialone nano)
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 1 cup cow's milk ricotta (or sheep's)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- Half vanilla bean
- orange peel (need the peel of half an organic orange)
- lemon peel (need the peel of half an organic lemon)
- cinnamon sticks (optional – a piece of 1 cm is enough)
- Half tsp orange zest (grated)
- 3/4 cup candied orange (cubed)
Tools
- 3 Bowls
- Plastic Wraps
- 1 Pan
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Work Surface
- 1 Baking Pan for pastiera 10-11 inches in diameter or two disposable aluminum pans 8 inches
Procedure
You can knead the shortcrust pastry by hand or with a stand mixer, choose the method you prefer. If using a stand mixer, attach the K-beater.
Before proceeding with the preparation of the pastry, leave the butter at room temperature for 10 minutes; the correct temperature is around 55-57°F.
Cut the vanilla bean and extract the seeds.
In a bowl, place the butter cut into cubes, sugar, vanilla seeds, and mix the ingredients until well combined.
Add the eggs, grated lemon zest, and incorporate by mixing the ingredients with a fork, then add the sifted flour and baking powder. Quickly mix everything until the dough is smooth and homogeneous.
Form a dough ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge to stabilize for 2-3 hours or, if possible, overnight.
Note: this method is the traditional method, the pastry is softer and needs to stabilize in the fridge for longer than a classic shortcrust.
Wash an orange and a lemon thoroughly, dry them. Use a peeler to remove the peel from the fruits (the peels of half a lemon and half an orange are sufficient).
Cut the vanilla bean, extract the seeds, and set them aside.
Place the milk in a pan with the citrus peels, the vanilla bean without seeds, and a small piece of cinnamon (omit if you don’t like it), bring to a boil and add the rice. Lower the heat and cook the rice for about 25-30 minutes, stirring often, it should remain al dente and almost completely absorb the milk.
Turn off the stove and let it cool. If possible, let it rest overnight in the fridge with the flavors; it will be even tastier.
In a bowl, mix the ricotta with sugar, vanilla seeds, and grated orange zest. Add the eggs, mixing well; the filling should be smooth and lump-free.
Remove the citrus peels, vanilla bean, and cinnamon stick from the rice, then pour it into the bowl with the ricotta, mix well. Add the candied fruits.
The filling is ready.
Take the shortcrust pastry, place it between two sheets of baking paper, and roll it out to a thickness of 1/8 inch (3 mm). Butter and flour a pastiera mold of 10 inches (26 cm) and line it with the pastry, making sure it adheres well. Trim the excess pastry, knead it briefly, roll it out again, and cut strips for decoration.
Prick the bottom with a fork, fill it with the filling, and level it. Lay the pastry strips on the surface, forming the classic diamond pattern.
Bake the pastiera in a preheated static oven at 338°F (170°C) for 60-70 minutes, depending on the power of your oven.
Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
The rice pastiera is ready!
You can enjoy it after a few hours of rest, but like the Neapolitan pastiera, if allowed to rest for at least a day, it will be even tastier.
If desired, you can make two smaller ones using disposable aluminum molds of 8 inches and bake them for about 45 minutes at the same temperature.
Tips
Storage
Storage
The pastiera is traditionally prepared on Holy Thursday and served on Easter Sunday. These days of rest help make the filling more flavorful and delicious. It is usually kept at room temperature for the first two days; I prefer to store it in the refrigerator on the least cold shelf.
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