Pastiera facts for kids
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| Type | Tart |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Naples |
| Main ingredients | flour, sugar, lard, eggs, ricotta, boiled wheat (in milk), water of orange flowers |
Pastiera napoletana is a special kind of tart or cake from Naples, a city in Italy. People usually eat this delicious cake during the Easter holiday.
It is made with a mix of cooked wheat, eggs, creamy ricotta cheese, and a lovely flavour from orange flower water. Imagine a sweet pie that tastes like spring!
Contents
Fun Stories About Pastiera
People love to tell old stories about how the pastiera first came to be.
The Siren's Gift
One popular story is about a siren named Parthenope. Sirens were mythical creatures known for their beautiful singing. The people of Naples loved Parthenope's sweet songs. To thank her, they gave her gifts of ricotta cheese, flour, eggs, milk, spices, and sugar. Parthenope then offered these gifts to the gods. The gods were so pleased that they used the ingredients to create the very first pastiera!
A Spring Celebration
Another story links the pastiera to ancient spring festivals. These celebrations honored Ceres, the goddess of farming and harvests. It was a way to celebrate new life and the gifts of nature, much like the ingredients in the pastiera.
How Pastiera Came to Be
The pastiera we know today was likely created a long time ago in a convent in Naples. A convent is a place where nuns live and work.
The Nuns' Secret Recipe
One nun wanted to create a cake that would remind people of the Resurrection (new life). She also wanted it to smell like the beautiful orange trees in the convent's garden. So, she mixed soft ricotta cheese with cooked wheat. Then, she added eggs, which symbolize new life. She also put in water that smelled like spring flowers, candied citron (a type of citrus fruit), and special spices from Asia.
The nuns from the old convent of San Gregorio Armeno were known for being amazing at making pastiera. They would bake many of these cakes for rich families during Easter.
Modern Pastiera Changes
There are two main ways to make pastiera. The older way mixes the ricotta with eggs or wheat. A newer way adds a thick pastry cream. This makes the pastiera even softer! A baker named Starace in Naples first introduced this change.
Pastiera needs to be baked a few days before it is eaten. People usually bake it by Maundy Thursday or Good Friday. This gives all the different smells and tastes time to blend together perfectly. The cake is also very delicate. Because of this, it is often sold and served right in the special round pans called "ruoti" where it was baked. This keeps it from crumbling apart.
Savoury Pastiera
While most pastiera is sweet, there is also a savoury (not sweet) version from Naples.
This savoury pastiera uses a different dough. Its filling is made with sausages and cheeses. The most common ones are Neapolitan salami and caciocavallo cheese. Sometimes, people use different types of pastry for the crust, like puff pastry.
See also
In Spanish: Pastiera para niños
