Sicilian Easter Pie

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 1/2 cup butter, chilled
• 1/3 cup superfine sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons ice water, or as needed
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons orange flower water
• 4 egg whites

Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ready Time: 6 hrs 30 mins


• in a saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. add rice and stir. reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. remove from heat and set aside.
• place raisins in a small saucepan and cover with boiling water. cook over low heat or 10 minutes. remove from heat, drain and set aside.
• to make dough: in a medium bowl or in a food processor, combine flour and 1/3 cup superfine sugar. cut in butter or pulse in processor until mixture looks like cornmeal. mix in 1 egg yolk. stir in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture holds together when you squeeze it. wrap with plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• in a medium saucepan, combine cooked rice, milk, orange zest and 1 tablespoon of sugar. cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is creamy and thick. remove from heat. whisk 3 egg yolks with 1/3 cup sugar in a large bowl. gradually add hot rice mixture, about a cup at a time, whisking constantly. stir in ricotta cheese, cooked raisins and cinnamon. add vanilla and orange flower water. let mixture cool to room temperature.
• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).
• roll out 3/4 of the pastry dough into an 11-inch circle and line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. roll out remaining dough into a 10-inch circle and cut into lattice strips.
• in a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter to lighten it, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.
• pour filling into dough-lined pan. criss-cross the lattice strips over the filling. seal the lattice strips to the bottom pastry edge.
• bake in preheated oven for an hour, or until pastry is golden brown. cool at room temperature for about 4 hours, then keep refrigerated.