PASTIERA: THE TRADITIONAL EASTER CAKE FROM THE REGION CAMPANIA

The Pastiera, the symbol of the Resurrection, was made for the first time in 1500 by a nun in an old monastery of San Gregorio Armeno in Naples. She wanted to combine a series of ingredients representing the Christian Easter, such as the wheat berries and eggs, "symbol of a new life", with other delicious ones such as the aroma of the orange flower water from the garden of the convent, the ricotta cheese, the millefiori water scented like spring, citron and aromatic spices from Asia. 

The result was a real masterpiece of Italian pastry that still today during the Holy Week, is prepared in the region Campania usually no later than Thursday and Friday. This is a ritual of gestures and secrets that are handed down from generation to generation making each pastiera unique in its flavor.

Here is the traditional recipe with the addition of a special ingredient very common on the Amalfi Coast and in Sorrento Peninsula: the pastry cream.

• Start from the shortcrust pastry. On the worktop sift the flour and create a well in the center of the mixture, now add the butter at room temperature, the sugar, the eggs, and the grated zest of an orange. Mix everything with your hands, the result has to be a smooth and homogeneous dough that will rest in the fridge for at least one hour wrapped in a cling film. Remember that the trick for a good shortcrust pastry is to not knead the dough too much.
• Poor the pre-cooked wheat berries in a pot and add the milk and the butter. Now bring to a boil. The mixture will have a cream-like consistency. 
• Pass the ricotta cheese through a sieve with the help of a spoon and add the sugar and candied fruit. The mixture will look like a cream that you need to add to the previous one.
• Beat the eggs and yolks and add the aromas: vanilla essence, cinnamon, orange flower water, and millefiori water. This mixture should be combined with the one with ricotta cheese and wheat berries. In the end, add the pastry cream that will make your dough more soft and delicious.  
• For the pastry cream here for you a few simple steps that will guarantee a great result. In a pot beat the eggs and add the sugar, vanilla essence, and flour. Then add the previously heated milk and put it on the fire. Stir by hand with a whisk until the mixture will be thickened. Once cooled, you can finally combine it with the filling. Finally one of the most delicious and appreciated Easter cakes is almost ready.
• Roll out the shortcrust pastry that will cover the moulds of 28 and 26 cm in diameter. Remember to cut 14 strips that will cover your two tarts, 7 for each pastiera. Pour the filling into the moulds and cover them with strips.
• Bake at 180 degrees for about one hour.
• When the pastiera will be ready, be patient and let it rest for at least 24 hours so that all the aromas have been mixed. The final result will be amazing!