Preparation

• To execute the Neapolitan pastiera recipe with sheep ricotta, the evening before we prepare the dessert, we drain the ricotta by placing it in a large sieve or in a colander with small holes.

  Cover everything well and store in the fridge overnight.

  The next morning, remove the whey and ensure that the weight of the drained ricotta is as required by the recipe.

  Then pass the ricotta through a fine-mesh sieve a couple of times.

  If we use a large steel one and help ourselves with a spatula, this operation will be simple.

  Then add 200g of sugar to the ricotta, stir, and after closing the bowl with plastic wrap, put it in the fridge to macerate.

  Then prepare the shortcrust pastry.

  Work the butter with the sugar, vanillin, grated lemon peel, and fine salt.

  Then add the eggs and flour and incorporate them working briefly.

  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for a few hours in the fridge.

  At this point, start with the grain cream.

  Put the grain, milk, butter, and zest of an orange in a small pot (which will then be removed).

  Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the flame and stir often, cooking for about 10/15 minutes until we obtain a thick and creamy mixture.

  When the liquid starts to dry, stir continuously.

  If desired, you can blend a small part of the cream obtained after removing the peel.

  Let it cool at room temperature.

• Now prepare what will be the final filling for the pastiera.

  Cut the candied orange and lemon into cubes, which can be candied at home by following my recipe, which you can find by clicking here.

  In a large bowl, combine the ricotta we had already worked with the sugar (so now we no longer need to add it), the grain cream, the eggs, and the yolks one at a time, incorporating them gradually.

  Then add the candied fruits, cinnamon, and a bottle of orange blossom essence.

  Mix well with a hand whisk.

  This is how the Neapolitan pastiera filling is ready.

• Retrieve the shortcrust pastry dough from the fridge.

  Flour the work surface and with the rolling pin, make 7 strips to decorate the pastiera.

  With all the rest of the dough, make the shortcrust shell by rolling with the rolling pin and lightly flouring.

  The thickness should be about 0.16 inches.

  Line a greased and floured pastiera mold with the rolled-out dough, or use parchment paper.

  Create a high border and prick the base with a fork.

  Fill with the filling and place the lattice strips, four in one direction and the other three transversely to the first.

  Bake in a preheated static oven at 338°F for the first 50 minutes, then lower to 320°F and bake for another 40 minutes.

  Place on the middle to lower level of the oven.  

  If one side of the dessert tends to brown too much, open the oven and rotate the pan to brown the other parts as well and obtain a uniform final color.

  Also, if the pastiera rises too much, it is advisable to open the door for a moment to allow it to descend again and thus prevent the strips from breaking.

  The pastiera will tend to rise a little starting from the sides to the center, the dessert will be ready when inserting a spaghetti in the center, it will come out dry.

  If before this happens, the pastiera begins to brown too much on the surface, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil.

  The Neapolitan pastiera recipe with sheep ricotta is thus executed.

  Before removing it from the oven, let it rest in the turned-off and slightly open oven for about 25/30 minutes.

  Remove the dessert from the pan only when it is completely cold and, if you want to enjoy it at its best, wait at least a day before consuming it.

  Dust with powdered sugar.