Skip to main content

The Enthusiastic Kitchen Elf's Pastiera (Italian Wheat Pie) with a Twist

By

Four years ago, D was a huge fan of Cake Boss and heard them talk about Italian Wheat Pie; we made a version back then. I hadn't heard him mention it for years. But, in the past two weeks, he's been bugging to me to make a pastiera. As it's Spring Break, we have fewer commitments and he has more free time. So, I suggested he had time to do it. I helped...a little bit. When he decided to add a layer of frangipane to the bottom of the pie, I was excited. What a great twist!

Ingredients

Crust makes top and bottom 
  • 2-1/2 C flour
  • 1 T organic granulated sugar
  • 1 C butter (2 sticks), chilled and cubed
  • 1 t pure lemon extract
  • 1/2 C cold milk
Filling
  • 2 C whole milk ricotta
  • 2 C cooked wheat grains (we used farro)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 C organic brown sugar
  • 1 C frangipane (recipe below)
  • 1 t pure lemon extract
  • 1 t pure vanilla extract
Frangipane
  • 1 C ground almonds
  • 1/2 C organic granulated sugar
  • 1/4 C butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 t pure lemon extract
  • 1/2 t pure vanilla extract


Procedure

Crust
In a food processor, pulse the flour with the sugar. Add the butter cubes and pulse until chunks the size of small peas form. Pour in lemon extract and 1/4 cup of cold milk and pulse. Pour in another 1/4 cup of cold milk till the dough comes together in a ball. Turn out the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and knead 2 to 3 times. Divide the dough into 2/3 and 1/3 - the larger ball will be the bottom crust, the smaller the top. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, approximately 1 hour.

Roll larger dough into bottom crust between two pieces of parchment paper. Transfer to your pie pan. Roll smaller dough into top crust and set aside. 

Frangipane
Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, or use a large bowl and a handheld mixer. Process until a thick paste forms. Reserve 1/4 C frangipane and spread the rest into the bottom of your pie crust.



Filling
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta, sugar, eggs, 1/4 C frangipane, and extracts. Fold in the cooked grains until completely incorporated, then spoon into your crust. Place your top crust over the filling.


Crimp the edges together to seal the crust. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place pie in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The top should be raised slightly and the crust nicely browned.


Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Quick Pickled Red Onions and Radishes

By
If you've been reading my blog for even a short amount of time, you probably know how much I love to pickle things. I was just telling a friend you can pickle - with vinegar - or you can ferment - with salt - for similar delicious effect. The latter has digestive benefits and I love to do that, but when I need that pop of sour flavor quickly, I whip up quick pickles that are ready in as little as a day or two. I've Pickled Blueberries , Pickled Asparagus , Pickled Cranberries , Pickled Pumpkin , and even Pickled Chard Stems ! This I did last night for an upcoming recipe challenge that requires I include radishes. Ummmm...of course I'm pickling them! Ingredients  makes 1 quart jar radishes, trimmed and sliced organic red onions, peeled and thinly sliced (I used a mandolin slicer) 3/4 C vinegar (I used white distilled vinegar) 3/4 C water 3 T organic granulated sugar 1 T salt (I used some grey sea salt) 6 to 8 grinds of black pepper Proce
1 comment
Read more

Aloo Tiki {Pakistan}

By
To start off our Pakistani culinary adventure, I started us off with aloo tiki - potato cutlets. I'm always game for tasty street food. I found a couple of different recipes and incorporated those together for this version. Ingredients 6-8 small red potatoes, scrubbed 1 T cumin seeds 1 T fresh chopped parsley 1/2 t ground coriander 1 t minced garlic Procedure Boil the potatoes until they are tender. Drain and let cool. Mash the potatoes. Traditionally they are mashed without their skins. I left the skins on. In a small pan, toast the cumin seeds on high heat until the begin to give off an aroma and begin to darken. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate to keep them from cooking any more. Blend all of the spices into the mashed potatoes, then shape into small patties. If you wet your hands, the potato mixture won't stick to them. Heat a splash of oil in a large, flat-bottom pan. Dip each patty into beaten egg and carefully place in the oil. P
9 comments
Read more

Hot Chocolate Agasajo-Style {Spice It Up!}

By
photo by D For my Spice It Up! kiddos this week, I was looking for an exotic drink to serve while we learned about saffron. I found a recipe from food historian Maricel Presilla that mimicked traditional Spanish hot chocolate from the 17th century where it was served at lavish receptions called agasajos . When I teach, I don't always get to shoot photos. Thankfully, D grabbed my camera and snapped a few. Ingredients serves 14-16 1 gallon organic whole milk 3 T dried rosebuds - or 2 t rosewater 2 t saffron threads, lightly crushed 3 T ground cinnamon 3 whole tepin chiles, crushed 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise 1 C organic granulated sugar 1 lb. bittersweet chocolate Procedure In a large soup pot that can hold a gallon plus, combine milk, dried rosebuds (or rosewater, if you are using that), saffron threads, ground cinnamon, chiles, vanilla beans, and sugar and warm over medium heat till it steams. Whisk to dissolve sugar, then lower heat an
183 comments
Read more