Pasteria Di Grano

(Easter Wheat Pie)

Ingredients:

    Wheat Mixture:

  • 3/4 pound soaked wheat drained and weighed after soaking (If soaked wheat is not available, dry wheat may be soaked as follows: cover dry wheat with cold water and boil 15 mins. Or until husks crack open. Remove from heat and soak 24 hours.)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup scalded milk
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup each, minced glace citron and orange peel

    Pasta frolla (flaky sweet pastry):

  • 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon milk

    Filling:

  • 3 cups sansone whole milk ricotta
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Dash cinnamon (optional)
  • Grated rind of lemon
  • 1 or 2 teaspoons orange flower water
    or 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
  • Wheat mixture (ingredients above)
  • 4 egg whites, beaten stiff
  • Confectionary sugar
Preparation

Prepare wheat mixture: place drained wheat in covered saucepan and cover with 3 cups water. Add salt and boil 1 hour, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Drain wheat, add milk and sugar, and boil an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add citron and orange peel, mix and allow to cool.

While prepared wheat is cooling, prepare pasta frolla: sift flour, salt, and sugar into bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or finger tips to distribute butter evenly through flour. Stir in egg yolks one at a time, mixing with wooden spoon. Work with hands until dough is manageable and clears bowl, adding a little milk if necessary to hold dough together. Turn onto lightly floured board and knead quickly until smooth. Form into a ball, cover and chill 30 minutes. Divide ball into two parts, one larger than the other. Roll large piece on lightly floured board into a disc 1/8-inch thick, large enough to line a deep 10 inch pie plate. Butter pie plate and line with pastry, leaving a 1/2 inch overhang. Roll out remaining dough 1/8-inch thick and cut into 3/4 inch strips for lattice topping.

Prepare filling: preheat oven to 350F. Beat ricotta and sugar together; add egg yolks, vanilla, cinnamon, lemon rind and orange water, blending well. Stir in prepared wheat and fold in beaten egg whites. Turn into pie shell. Arrange pastry strips criss-cross over filling to edge. Roll bottom overhang up over strips at edge and flute heavily. Bake about 1 hour or until filling is firm in center and crust is nicely browned. Let it cool in oven. Serve sprinkled with confectionary sugar. 8-10 servings.

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