Neapolitan Pastiera

Method

1. Day 1: Cook the wheat. In a pot, combine the cooked wheat, milk, a strip of lemon peel, half a tablespoon of lard, and a pinch of salt. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until creamy (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Remove the lemon peel. Pass the mixture through a sieve, reserving 2 tablespoons of whole wheat grains for a rustic texture. Mix the sieved wheat with the reserved grains. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Day 2: Prepare the ricotta and sugar mixture. Sift the sheep ricotta into a bowl, add sugar, and mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. Make the shortcrust pastry. On a work surface, mix flour and sugar. Make a well in the center. Add cold butter cut into small pieces, egg yolks, and a little water. Quickly knead until smooth. Form a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
5. Day 3: Assemble the filling. Take the ricotta and sugar mixture from the fridge. Add any remaining egg yolks (reserve the whites) and mix well.
6. Add the cooked wheat (from Day 1) to the ricotta mixture and stir to combine.
7. Add orange blossom water: either use a ready-diluted version or dilute a few drops of concentrated essence in a glass of water. Pour into the mixture.
8. Add candied citron, a pinch of cinnamon, and the seeds from a vanilla pod. Mix thoroughly.
9. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold them into the filling mixture, using a spatula and lifting from the bottom to keep the airiness.
10. Let the filling rest while you prepare the pastry. Roll out the shortcrust pastry between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of about 3-4 mm.
11. Line a round tart pan (ruoto) with the pastry, pressing it into the edges. Leave the excess hanging over the sides.
12. Pour the filling into the pastry shell, not to the brim (the filling will rise during baking).
13. Roll out the remaining pastry and cut into 7 strips. Place 3 strips diagonally across the filling, then 4 strips in the opposite diagonal direction, creating a lattice. Press the ends of the strips onto the edge to seal. Trim any excess pastry.
14. Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C (338°F) for about 1 hour or until golden brown. Let cool completely before serving.