Pastiera sorrentina: the traditional recipe

Pastiera is the Easter cake of Campania, and in Sorrento too, in the weeks before the holiday, homes fill with its scent of orange blossom, cinnamon and citrus. Beneath a lattice of shortcrust strips it hides a soft filling of ricotta, cooked wheat, custard and candied peel. This is the pastiera sorrentina from nonna Rosaria's recipes; she recommends enjoying it in good company, perhaps with a small glass of local liqueur. Its origins have inspired some charming tales, which you can read in the legend of the pastiera.

A cake that takes its time

Pastiera cannot be rushed: the wheat must be soaked four days in advance and cooked for a long time until it turns creamy, and the cake is at its best only after resting for a couple of days. If you are short of time you can use ready-cooked wheat from a jar, but nonna has no doubts: for a truly first-class pastiera the wheat should be prepared at home. The quantities are generous and make about 4 pastiere of 8-10 portions each, as families traditionally do so that they can give some to friends and relatives.

Ingredients (makes about 4 pastiere)

For the filling

• 400 g wheat grains
• 3 dl milk
• salt
• 30 g butter (or lard)
• 4 unwaxed lemons
• 500 g sugar
• 800 g ricotta
• 4 sachets of vanilla
• cinnamon
• mixed candied fruit (citron, orange peel and candied squash)
• orange blossom
• 8 eggs
• icing sugar

For the custard

• 200 g sugar
• 80 g plain flour
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 l milk
• the peel of 1 unwaxed lemon

For the shortcrust pastry

• 600 g plain flour
• 300 g sugar
• 300 g butter
• 3 eggs
• the grated zest of ½ lemon

Method

1. The wheat (four days ahead). Soak the wheat in cold water for 4 days, changing the water every 12 hours and rubbing the grains now and then so that any impurities float to the surface.
2. On the fourth day drain it and put it in a saucepan with plenty of water, at least a hand's breadth above the wheat (about 2 litres for 400 g). Add a pinch of salt and the butter and cook over a low heat for at least 4 hours: the grains should burst open and slowly turn creamy. If the wheat dries out, add more water kept at boiling point.
3. When it is almost cooked, pour in the boiling milk. Do this the day before, so that the wheat can rest overnight and swell slowly: in the end it will weigh about 1.5 kg.
4. The pastry. On the work surface, work the flour with the sugar, the butter at room temperature, the eggs and the grated zest of half a lemon. Leave to rest in the fridge.
5. The custard. Make a pastry cream with the sugar, flour, yolks, milk and lemon peel, cooking until it thickens; leave to cool.
6. The filling. Press the ricotta through a food mill with the sugar, then add the grated zest of the lemons, the cinnamon, candied fruit, vanilla, orange blossom, wheat and the yolks of the 8 eggs, stirring gently. Finish with the custard and, last of all, the egg whites whisked to stiff peaks. Leave the mixture to rest for half an hour.
7. Roll out part of the pastry and line the inside of the tin; pour in the filling and level it with a spatula.
8. Cut the remaining pastry into thin strips, lay them crosswise over the cake and brush them with beaten egg.
9. Bake in a moderate oven for about 1 hour: the filling should be firm and the pastry golden.
10. Let the pastiera rest for a couple of days before cutting it and dust it with icing sugar just before serving.

Nonna's tip

Don't be in a hurry to taste it: after two days the aromas of citrus, cinnamon and orange blossom blend together and the pastiera becomes even better. If you are in Sorrento at Easter, pair it with the rituals of the Holy Week processions and finish with a small glass of limoncello. If you would rather taste it without cooking, you will find it at the restaurants and pastry shops of Sorrento.