Pastiera Napoletana (Traditional Neapolitan Cake)

Step 1

Cook wheat berries in boiling water for 2 hours. Drain and cook with milk and 1 tsp. cinnamon, a little orange zest and 1/2 vanilla pod until the milk is absorbed (around 15 minutes); alternatively you can use 1 lb. pre-cooked wheat berries (grano cotto); heat in 1 cup milk along with the other ingredients for 10-15 minutes. Let cool.

Step 2

In a large bowl mix flour, lard, 2/3 cup sugar and a pinch of salt until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add 2 eggs and mix with your hands until combined. Use your hands to shape the dough into a ball. Place in the refrigerator in a bowl sealed with plastic wrap for at least 30 minutes.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 340 °F.

Step 4

Mix the ricotta with the rest of the sugar, adding it a little at a time. Separate 2 eggs and set the egg whites aside. Beat yolks with the ricotta mixture. Add 4 whole eggs, one at a time, and whisk until incorporated. Add a little lemon and orange zest, candied fruit and 2 Tbsp. orange blossom water.

Step 5

Remove the vanilla pod from the cooked wheat. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the ricotta mixture along with the cooked wheat. For a creamier filling purée some of the cooked wheat berries.

Step 6

Grease and flour a cake pan (ø 10", h 2 1/2".), preferably a springform pan. Roll out about 2/3 of the dough on a floured surface until it is about 1/4" thick. Place in the springform pan. Cut off any overhang to add to the remaining dough. Roll out remaining dough and cut into 10 strips around 1" wide. Fill the dough with the ricotta mixture. Lay the pastry dough strips across the top in a criss-cross diamond pattern. Press the strips gently to adhere on the edge of the pastry. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 8 hours in a dry place.