Pastiera Napoletana di Grano e Ricotta

Three days before baking: rinse the wheat berries and submerge in cold water in a deep bowl. Leave at room temperature, changing the water once daily. On the third day, drain and transfer to a heavy saucepan with the milk, lard, and sugar. Simmer over the lowest possible heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours. The wheat is ready when the berries are entirely soft, slightly swollen, and the milk has been absorbed into a loose, creamy mass — each grain yields without resistance when pressed between finger and thumb.

Make the pasta frolla: turn the flour onto a cool surface, make a well, and add the cold lard broken into pieces, the sugar, egg yolks, and salt. Work rapidly with fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then press into a cohesive dough without kneading. The dough is ready when it holds together cleanly and shows no cracks at the edges — it should feel cool and slightly firm, not tacky. Wrap and rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Prepare the ricotta filling: pass the drained sheep's milk ricotta through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Beat in the sugar, then the 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks, one at a time, until smooth. Add the orange flower water — all 60 ml — along with the vanilla extract, cinnamon, and the grated lemon and orange zests. Fold in the diced candied citron and the cooled cooked wheat. In a separate bowl, whisk the 2 reserved egg whites to soft peaks and fold gently into the mixture in two additions. This is the step on which the pastiera lives or dies: the orange flower water must be added in full — it will appear excessive and its raw scent will seem overpowering, but it will moderate profoundly during the long bake and the essential 24–48-hour rest; under-dosing at this stage is irreversible.

Heat the oven to 170 °C. On a lightly floured surface, roll two-thirds of the pasta frolla to 4 mm thickness and line a 26 cm tart tin, allowing a slight overhang. Press the pastry into the base and sides without stretching it. Pour in the ricotta and wheat filling — the tin should be nearly full. Roll the remaining pastry, cut into strips 1.5 cm wide, and lay a lattice across the surface, pressing the ends firmly against the rim. The lattice is correctly spaced when the diamond openings are roughly equal in size and the filling is visible but contained.

Bake at 170 °C for 55–60 minutes on the middle shelf. The tart is done when the lattice and rim are a deep, even amber-gold, the filling has set visibly — it no longer trembles at the centre when the tin is nudged — and a faint floral fragrance rises from the oven. Do not raise the heat to accelerate colour; the slow set is what prevents cracking and uneven texture.

Remove from the oven and leave in the tin until completely cold. Do not unmould for at least 24 hours — 48 hours is the Neapolitan standard. During this rest the filling firms from the outside inward, the lattice sets flush with the surface, and the three floral notes — orange blossom, vanilla, cinnamon — integrate through the entire tart. The pastiera is ready to cut when the filling holds a clean edge under a sharp knife and the surface yields only the faintest give underfoot. Dust with icing sugar immediately before serving.