Wheat and Ricotta Easter Tart

Ingredients

• 300 g All-purpose flour
• 150 g Butter
• 130 g Sugar
• 1 whole Egg
• 350 g Wheat
• 200 ml Milk
• 1 whole Lemon
• 350 g Ricotta cheese
• 3 whole Egg yolk
• 2 whole Egg white
• 80 g Candied citrus peel
• 2 tbsp Orange flower water
• 1 whole Orange
• 20 g Powdered sugar

Steps

1. Make the shortcrust: quickly rub the flour with the cold cubed butter until sandy.
2. Add the sugar, eggs and a pinch of salt.
3. Form a dough, wrap it in cling film and rest it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
4. Tip the cooked wheat into a saucepan with the milk, butter and the grated zest of one lemon.
5. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat for 12-13 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens into a cream.
6. Let it cool to lukewarm.
7. In a large bowl, work the well-drained ricotta with the sugar until smooth.
8. Pass it through a sieve to make it even silkier.
9. Add the egg yolks to the ricotta one at a time.
10. Stir in the lukewarm cooked wheat, the diced candied peel, the orange flower water and the grated orange zest.
11. Mix well.
12. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold them gently into the mixture with bottom-to-top movements so it doesn't deflate.
13. Roll out two-thirds of the shortcrust and line a buttered, floured 24 cm tin, leaving a tall rim.
14. Prick the base with the tines of a fork.
15. Pour the filling into the pastry shell and level it, without filling to the brim as it will rise slightly during baking.
16. From the remaining pastry cut strips about 2 cm wide and lay them over the surface to form a diamond lattice, sealing the edges well.
17. Bake in a static oven preheated to 180°C for about 60 minutes, until the surface is well golden.
18. Remove and let it cool completely in the tin.
19. Let the pastiera rest for at least one day at room temperature before serving, dusted with icing sugar.

Tips

• Use well-drained sheep's milk ricotta: excess whey makes the filling too runny and prevents it from baking properly.
• Orange flower water is the soul of the pastiera: don't replace it, but dose it sparingly because it is very fragrant.
• Make it two or three days ahead: resting blends the flavours and makes the cake even better.