Today I want to share with you my shortcrust pastry recipe for the Neapolitan pastiera: an elastic, fragrant pastry that won’t crack, designed to perfectly contain the moist, soft filling of the pastiera.
I mainly use it for pastiera, but it’s so good and easy to work with that I often make it for tarts and cookies. It’s one of those recipes to always have at hand.
Some time ago, when I used to make pastiera, I was never satisfied with the pastry: sometimes too crumbly, other times too hard, and it would break at the first cut. A real nightmare! Today I reveal my perfect version: an elastic, aromatic shortcrust that doesn’t break or crumble, easy to work with even when you have to braid the classic decorative strips.
The secret? The right balance between lard (or butter), sugar and flour, together with the aroma of grated lemon zest. The result is a compact shell that holds its shape when cut and makes the pastiera even more tempting.
Ready to discover the recipe? Hands in the dough and happy pastiera to everyone!
See you soon, Susy 💛
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 12 people
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 449.68 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 57.91 (g) of which sugars 22.21 (g)
- Proteins 7.38 (g)
- Fat 22.28 (g) of which saturated 8.68 (g)of which unsaturated 12.33 (g)
- Fibers 1.15 (g)
- Sodium 19.19 (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 for the shortcrust pastry for Neapolitan pastiera: the recipe that won’t break
With these quantities of shortcrust pastry I make 2 pastiere: one 10 1/4-inch and one smaller 8 2/3-inch. Alternatively, you can use the dough to make individual pastiera tarts, perfect for gifts or to serve already portioned.
- 4 cups 00 flour (all-purpose flour)
- 7 oz lard (or butter) — about 14 tbsp (≈7/8 cup)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 drops orange blossom flavoring
- 1 lemon zest (grated)
Useful tools
- work surface
- plastic wrap
How to make the shortcrust pastry for Neapolitan pastiera: the recipe that won’t break
On your work surface, pour the flour and shape it into a well. In the center place the lard (or slightly softened butter), the orange blossom flavoring, the grated lemon zest, a pinch of salt and the sugar. Begin to work quickly with your hands, trying to mix all the ingredients well.
At this point add the whole eggs and the yolk and continue to knead until you obtain a homogeneous, smooth and elastic dough.
Wrap the shortcrust pastry in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This step is fundamental: chilling makes the pastry more elastic and easier to work with.
Once ready, roll it out with a rolling pin and use it to line the pastiera pan. It’s a dough that’s easy to handle, it doesn’t break and shapes easily, perfect for obtaining a neat, regular shell.
Useful tips for the shortcrust pastry for pastiera
Don’t overwork the dough: shortcrust should be mixed quickly, otherwise it becomes tough during baking.
Use cold or just-softened ingredients: the lard or butter should not be melted, just workable.
Respect the chilling time in the refrigerator: at least 1 hour. It’s essential to obtain an elastic dough that’s easy to roll out.
Roll the pastry to a thickness of about 1/8–3/16 inch: this will give you a shell that is resistant yet balanced with the filling.
Prick the base well with a fork: it helps avoid bubbles during baking.
Don’t overfill the pastiera: always leave a small empty border to prevent the filling from spilling out.
If you want an even more aromatic result, you can add a few vanilla seeds to the dough.
For a gluten-free version, you can use a gluten-free flour blend specifically for shortcrusts, keeping the same proportions.
For a fresher, more aromatic note, slightly increase the lemon zest or add a pinch of grated orange zest.
