Neapolitan Ricotta And Wheatberry Pie

Serves: 4

Irwin Berge

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

41

Spice

47

Sweetness

49

Sourness

43

mins

Prep time (avg)

4.9

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1 cup

Sugar

1 tsp

Salt

4 cups

Water (cold)

4 large

Egg Yolk

1 tbsp

Cornstarch

1.25 cups

Milk

1 tsp

Vanilla

1 tsp

Cinnamon

Directions:

1

Cover wheat berries with cold water in a bowl, then chill, covered, 8 to 12 hours

2

Drain in a sieve and rinse

3

Cover wheat berries with cold water in a bowl, then chill, covered, 8 to 12 hours

4

Drain in a sieve and rinse

5

Make pastry while wheat berries soak: Sift together 2 1/4cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and 1/2teaspoon salt

6

Blend in 1 1/4sticks butter (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal

7

Add 2 whole eggs and stir with a fork until a crumbly dough forms

8

Turn dough out onto a work surface

9

Divide in half and with heel of your hand smear each piece of dough twice with a forward motion to help distribute fat

10

Gather dough and form into 2 disks

11

Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour

12

Sift together 2 1/4cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and 1/2teaspoon salt

13

Blend in 1 1/4sticks butter (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal

14

Add 2 whole eggs and stir with a fork until a crumbly dough forms

15

Turn dough out onto a work surface

16

Divide in half and with heel of your hand smear each piece of dough twice with a forward motion to help distribute fat

17

Gather dough and form into 2 disks

18

Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour

19

Make filling: Bring soaked wheat berries and cold water to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until wheat berries are tender, about 1 1/2 hours

20

Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer 5 minutes more

21

Drain in sieve and rinse under cold water until cool

22

Drain well

23

Whisk together 2 yolks and 1/4 cup sugar, then whisk in cornstarch and remaining 3 tablespoons flour until smooth

24

Bring milk to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, then gradually add hot milk to yolks, whisking

25

Pour custard into saucepan and bring to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking constantly (custard will get very thick), then boil, whisking, 1 minute

26

Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and remaining 1/4 stick (2 tablespoons) butter

27

Transfer pastry cream to a bowl and chill, its surface covered with wax paper

28

Beat together ricotta and remaining 1/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes

29

Beat in flower water, pastry cream, and remaining 2 yolks, then stir in zest, citron, cinnamon, and wheat berries

30

Bring soaked wheat berries and cold water to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until wheat berries are tender, about 1 1/2 hours

31

Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer 5 minutes more

32

Drain in sieve and rinse under cold water until cool

33

Drain well

34

Whisk together 2 yolks and 1/4 cup sugar, then whisk in cornstarch and remaining 3 tablespoons flour until smooth

35

Bring milk to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, then gradually add hot milk to yolks, whisking

36

Pour custard into saucepan and bring to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking constantly (custard will get very thick), then boil, whisking, 1 minute

37

Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and remaining 1/4 stick (2 tablespoons) butter

38

Transfer pastry cream to a bowl and chill, its surface covered with wax paper

39

Beat together ricotta and remaining 1/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes

40

Beat in flower water, pastry cream, and remaining 2 yolks, then stir in zest, citron, cinnamon, and wheat berries

41

Assemble and bake pie: Preheat oven to 350°F

42

Roll out half of dough into a 13-inch round on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin

43

Fit dough into a 9-inch (24-centimeter) springform pan (dough is very tender and will crack)

44

Press dough against side of pan and patch any cracks

45

Chill

46

Lightly beat remaining egg

47

Roll out remaining dough into a 10-inch round and transfer to a baking sheet

48

Brush dough with some of egg, then cut into 10 (1-inch) strips with fluted pastry wheel

49

Spoon filling into chilled pie crust (filling will not reach top of crust)

50

Arrange 5 dough strips vertically on filling (1 inch apart), pressing ends of strips into crust

51

Arrange remaining 5 strips over them in same manner to form a diagonal lattice

52

Trim crust 1/2 inch from top of filling, then fold over lattice

53

Brush edge with some of egg

54

Bake pie in middle of oven until pastry is golden and filling is puffed and set, about 1 1/2 hours, covering top of pie with foil after 50 minutes to prevent over-browning

55

Transfer to a rack to cool

56

Run a thin knife around edge of pie and remove side of pan

57

Chill pie at least 2 hours

58

Bring to room temperature before serving

59

Preheat oven to 350°F

60

Roll out half of dough into a 13-inch round on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin

61

Fit dough into a 9-inch (24-centimeter) springform pan (dough is very tender and will crack)

62

Press dough against side of pan and patch any cracks

63

Chill

64

Lightly beat remaining egg

65

Roll out remaining dough into a 10-inch round and transfer to a baking sheet

66

Brush dough with some of egg, then cut into 10 (1-inch) strips with fluted pastry wheel

67

Spoon filling into chilled pie crust (filling will not reach top of crust)

68

Arrange 5 dough strips vertically on filling (1 inch apart), pressing ends of strips into crust

69

Arrange remaining 5 strips over them in same manner to form a diagonal lattice

70

Trim crust 1/2 inch from top of filling, then fold over lattice

71

Brush edge with some of egg

72

Bake pie in middle of oven until pastry is golden and filling is puffed and set, about 1 1/2 hours, covering top of pie with foil after 50 minutes to prevent over-browning

73

Transfer to a rack to cool

74

Run a thin knife around edge of pie and remove side of pan

75

Chill pie at least 2 hours

76

Bring to room temperature before serving