Traditional Pastiera Napoletana Recipe | Italian Easter Cake from Naples

Sue Maree P -

Pastiera Napoletana is a traditional Italian Easter cake from Naples, dating back to the 16th century in the area of San Gregorio Armeno. Often described as a cross between a cheesecake, rice pudding, and a ricotta tart, it’s delicately scented with orange blossom water and encased in a flaky shortcrust pastry.

In Naples, it’s tradition for women to begin making this cake on Holy Thursday, letting the flavours develop before enjoying it on Easter Sunday.

My version is inspired by the Italian cook Benedetta, but I’ve made a few tweaks to suit the ingredients I prefer:

  • White spelt flour for the pastry
  • Oat milk instead of whole milk
  • Orange blossom water instead of Millefiore
  • Reduced sugar content for a lighter taste

I used the traditional Grano Cotto (pre-cooked wheat grain), which you can find at Italian supermarkets or online. Some Northern Italian versions use arborio rice instead.

💡 Tip: This cake is best made over two or three days to allow the flavours to mature, but you can also make it all in one go if you’re short on time!

Serve it with coffee for breakfast or dessert, and enjoy a slice of Neapolitan Easter tradition at home. 🇮🇹✨

Here are the traditional steps to make this delicious Italian Pastiera Napoletana in the lead-up to Easter Sunday.
If you're short on time, you can prepare it all in one day—but traditionally, it's made over two or three days. The process can be time-consuming, so take your time, spread it out, and enjoy the ritual of baking this classic Italian Easter dessert.

Traditional Pastiera Napoletana Recipe Timeline 🇮🇹

A 3-day guide to making this beloved Italian Easter cake from Naples

Day One – Thursday
🥣 Prepare the Creamy Wheat Mixture

  1. Boil wheat berries (grano cotto) with milk and lemon zest until you get a creamy, porridge-like consistency. Let it cool and refrigerate overnight.
  2. Prepare the ricotta filling (ricotta, sugar, eggs, flavourings) and allow it to rest in the fridge overnight for a deeper flavour.
  3. Day Two – Friday
    🥧 Make the Pastry
    3. Prepare the sweet pastry dough (I use white spelt flour) and chill it overnight. This step makes the dough easier to handle and improves texture.

Day Three – Saturday
🧁 Assemble and Bake
4. Roll out the pastry, line the pie dish, and fill it with the ricotta and wheat mixture. Add the traditional lattice top.
5. Bake until golden and fragrant. Let it cool completely before refrigerating.

Easter Sunday
✨ Serve at Room Temperature
6. Remove from the fridge a few hours before serving. Dust with icing sugar and enjoy this fragrant, citrusy ricotta tart with a coffee or espresso.

Takes = 3 days preparation (to make it easier, or all on the same day)
Bakes = 65 mins
Makes = 8 serves (24cm spring form cake tin)

Ingredients for the filling

  • Di grano cotto – 250g
  • Oat Milk (or whole milk) – 250ml
  • Ground cinnamon – 1/2 tsp
  • Lemon peel – 1 large piece peeled off the lemon
  • Ricotta cheese – 250g
  • Sugar – 250g
  • Egg yolks – 3
  • Egg whites – 3
  • Orange blossom water –1 tbsp (depending on taste)
  • Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
  • Extra 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Chopped Candied peel – 1-2 tbsp

Pastry

  • Unsalted cold butter – 125g (1 stick)
  • White Spelt flour (or your choice) – 250g (2 cups)
  • Whole egg, plus one egg yolk
  • Icing sugar – 50g (1/3 cup)
  • Lemon, finely zested

Method

  1. BOIL small saucepan grano, milk, cinnamon and peel for about 10-15mins, until thick like porridge. Remove peel, spoon into a medium bowl and rest while you make the pastry. Rest in fridge for up to 2 days.
  2. PASTRY add flour and chilled butter into a large bowl and work the butter into the flour using your finger tips until it resembles find bread crumbs. Add egg and extra egg yolk. You could use your stand mixer with the paddle attachment if preferred. Remove from the bowl and knead until smooth throwing on lots of flour and you do this. Form a disc and wrap in plastic and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes while you make the rest of the filling.
  3. FILLING: whip the egg whites until firm. Mix ricotta cheese to the cooled grano mix and 25og sugar and then 3 egg yolks, cinnamon, vanilla and combine. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites into the mixture and then add in orange blossom water and candied peel.
  4. PASTRY divide the dough into 3. Use 2/3 of the pastry and roll out until you have a piece larger than 25cm and place in a 9/10 inch (25 cm) greased and lined springform tin. Trim and add to the remaining pastry, roll out again and with a pastry crimper wheel or knife, cut long strips about ¾ an inch wide.
  5. POUR the ricotta mixture and trim the pastry to the level of the mixture. Lay 3-4 long pastry strips gently across the top to form a a criss-cross diamond pattern (not square), pressing the strips on the edge of the pastry very gently. If desired, you can brush the lattice gently with some egg wash to make it shiny.
  6. BAKE 170˚C without fan 50 mins then reduce the oven temperature 160˚C for an extra 15 mins.
  7. COOL completely inside the springform pan before removing or chilling.
  8. CHILL overnight in the fridge or if it is not too humid rest cover on the kitchen counter overnight.
  9. SERVE the pastiera at room temperature. Remove at least 30 minutes before eating to take away some of the chill
  10. SPRINKLE with some powdered sugar sifted over the top.
  11. STORE any leftovers in the fridge.