The chocolate pastiera is a version of the Neapolitan pastiera, but without candied fruit, which has been replaced by chocolate chips. The Neapolitan pastiera is a traditional dessert typical of Campanian pastry, usually prepared for Easter. In this revisited recipe, a shell of crumbly shortcrust pastry is combined with a filling of ricotta, cooked wheat, and plenty of chocolate chips: a combination of flavors and aromas that will delight you until the last slice.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 6 Hours
- Preparation time: 2 Hours
- Portions: 8/10
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter, Winter, Spring
- Energy 356.48 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 46.58 (g) of which sugars 27.33 (g)
- Proteins 7.50 (g)
- Fat 16.80 (g) of which saturated 9.12 (g)of which unsaturated 5.31 (g)
- Fibers 3.29 (g)
- Sodium 193.49 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 2 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
Chocolate Pastiera Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups flour
- 3/4 cup butter (or lard)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 oranges (grated zest)
- 1 1/2 cup cow's milk ricotta
- 1 cup sugar
- 7/8 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup cooked wheat
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 chocolate chips (dark)
- 1 oranges (grated zest)
- 1 lemon (grated zest)
- 1 pinch salt
Chocolate Pastiera Tools
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Hand Whisk
- 1 Blender
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Baking Pan
- 1 Plastic Wrap
Chocolate Pastiera Steps
Let’s start by placing the chocolate chips in the fridge until use.
We start preparing the pastry: in a large bowl, put the flour, cold butter from the fridge, and sugar. Mix with your hands until you have a sandy mixture, then add the grated orange zest with the eggs. Create a nice dough, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, let’s focus on the filling: in a saucepan, place the wheat with the milk, stir, and cook until the milk is completely incorporated. After the wheat has absorbed the milk, to get a creamier consistency, I blended with an immersion blender. Conversely, those who prefer a more rustic texture can also not blend, then let it cool.
Mix the ricotta with the sugar until you get a nice smooth and lump-free mixture, then add the eggs, and the grated orange and lemon zest. In addition to the grated zest of orange and lemon, I also used the dried citrus powder, which I always prepare at home.”If you’re interested, see how to make it” Finally, add the cooled wheat to the mixture, mix the ingredients well, and cover with plastic wrap. Now put the filling in the fridge.
In the meantime, take the dough and create a layer about 1/8 inch thick, line a 9.5 inch pastiera baking pan, without greasing or flouring. Leave some dough to create decorative strips.
Take the filling and chocolate chips out of the fridge, now pour the chips into the bowl and mix the mixture well. Then pour the filling into the pastry shell, then roll out the remaining pastry and create the strips. Decorate forming diamonds and bake in a preheated oven at 356°F on the lower rack for about 1 hour.
Remember that the baking time is indicative, so always adjust to your oven. Once baked, take it out of the oven and let it cool at room temperature. Only when it is completely cooled can we remove it from the pan and sprinkle it with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Chocolate Chip Pastiera Preservation
The pastiera can be kept for 4 days at room temperature and for a week in the fridge, or it can also be frozen.
The pastry can be prepared in advance and stored wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for about 4 days.
If we want to organize for work, the wheat and ricotta filling can also be prepared and placed in the fridge the day before. This way the pastiera will be even better!
If we want to organize for work, the wheat and ricotta filling can also be prepared and placed in the fridge the day before. This way the pastiera will be even better!
