Italian Wheat Pie

loisp · ‎03-30-2011

Ever since I moved to Tennessee I have not had access to really good Italian products and food. This Easter I could not find Easter bread and Italian wheat and ricotta pies so I have decided to try and bake my own. Does anyone have a good wheat or ricotta pie recipe that isn't too hard to try? Just ordered the wheat berries from an Italian market in NY. Thanks.

Pook · ‎03-20-2010

@loisp Just do a search for Italian Wheat Pie. There are many.

deepwaterdotter · ‎03-09-2010

Since the first step in using ricotta is draining it overnight in a fine-mesh strainer lined with 2 layers of paper towels set in a bowl in the fridge, it is too late to make my recipe to enjoy today. This recipe is a bit labor intensive and baked in a bain-marie:

3 lbs whole-milk ricotta cheese (Belgioioso brand is good and easy to find)

2 slices white bread torn into 1" pieces

1 tbsp softened butter

1 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp lemon zest

2 tbsp flour

3 eggs

2 egg yolks

Finely-grind bread in food processor. Grease bottom and sides of springform pan with butter. Coat bottom and sides of pan with bread crumbs, shake out loose crumbs. Set pan on 18" square double-layer of heavy-duty foil, then wrap around bottom and sides of pan. Set wrapped pan in roasting pan.

Heat oven to 500 degrees.

Mix drained ricotta, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, salt, flour, eggs and yolks in big bowl with electric mixer on medium speed. Increase mixer speed to high and beat until smooth. Pour into pan.

Pour 1 qt of ice cubes into roasting pan, then fill with cold water to come to 1" from top of springform pan. Bake until pie is pale golden brown with some darker spots, about 1/2 hour. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake until center of pie reads 170 degrees on thermometer, about 40 minutes longer. Center of pie should wobble slightly when shaken. Cool pie on wire rack for 5 minutes. Run butter knife around edge of pie. Cool to room temperature, about 3 hours. Remove ring from pan.

aroc3435 · ‎09-30-2010

@loisp Here is a recipe I found in the Church of St. Michael Cookbook, 29 Wooster Place, New Haven, Connecticut, 11th edition, 2011, page 88, by Rena Giordano

WHEAT PIE

Soak 1 pound of wheat in water, enough to go over wheat 2 inches for a full day and night; every now and then change the water. Put the wheat in a 3 or 4 quart heavy saucepan with water 2 inches above the wheat. Cook until water is absorbed into wheat; do not let it get dry. Leave it creamy, stirring every now and then on low heat. Put into a large mixing bowl and let cool 15 or 20 minutes.

Then add:

8 large eggs, beaten first 1 tsp. grated lemon rind

1 lb. whole milk ricotta 1 tsp. grated orange rind

1 cup sugar 2 cups Italian Cream (recipe below)

1 tsp. cinnamon

Fold all ingredients into the wheat, then fold in the cooled off cream.

Cream:

2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup sugar

2 egg yolks 1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 heaping Tbsp. corn starch

Mix eggs, corn starch sugar and vanilla. Put milk in double boiler; add egg mixture and cook until thick. Cool off in small bowl for 20 mins, then fold into the wheat mixture. Pour mixture into pie crust and put lattice strips on top. Bake in 350 degree oven 50 to 60 minutes until knife [tip in center] comes out clean.

I have not made this and the recipe doesn't indicate pan size--seems as if it might fill two pie pans, or maybe a 9" X 13" which would change the baking time I think. I am sure it is delicious, though, since the St. Ann Society of this church has produced this cookbook for many years with "treasured family recipes" from church members and these folks can cook!

If you do try it, please let us know the outcome if you are so inclined/have the time.

Hope this is helpful in your quest. I, too, miss the Italian food and the ingredients that were so readily available in southern Connecticut where I lived for many years until my recent retirement to Washington, DC.