Pastiera is a a traditional Neapolitan Easter pie made with ricotta and rice or cooked grain usually made with a lattice crust. This Easy No Crust Easter Pastiera version has all the delicious flavor and is so simple to make!
Thank goodness there is no shortage of desserts to make with ricotta! And I have found yet another one. I can’t believe I only found out about pastiera just a few years ago. Of Neapolitan origin, this dessert was created to celebrate the return of Spring. However, pastiera has now become a popular Italian Easter dessert.
The traditional recipe is made with a pie crust and a pretty lattice top. The filling consists of rice or grano cotto, cooked wheat, combined with ricotta. In fact it is often referred to as agrain or wheat pie. I was inspired by a Martha Stewart recipe I came across and adapted to make this Easy No Crust Easter Pastiera.
Now I know many of you will say it’s not the real thing if it’s not made with the crust. But the truth is I don’t always feel like making pie crust. And I’m sure you don’t either!
This version of pastiera undoubtedly has all the delicious flavor even without the crust. Besides, no crust means less calories, right? Which means I can have more pastiera!
No crust also means you can make this pastiera in a flash so you can enjoy it as soon as possible! Let me walk you through the steps to make this easy recipe.
Step by Step Instructions
Begin by cooking your rice. Bring milk to a boil. Add salt, vanilla extract and cinnamon and stir in the rice. Cook until tender, about 30 minutes.
Transfer the cooked rice to a large bowl and stir in the zest of 1 lemon and 1/2 cup sugar. Let cool completely.
Meanwhile, if the brand of ricotta you use is particularly watery, let it drain by placing your ricotta in a colander covered with cheese cloth. Let sit in the fridge for about 2 hours to drain.
Place the drained ricotta in a large bowl and add 3 eggs; 3 egg yolks; and an additional 1/2 cup of sugar. Mix well.
Fold in the cooled rice mixture with a spatula. Pour the mixture in a greased and floured 9- inch springform pan. Set the pan on a baking sheet (in case the batter leaks) and bake at 350F for about 90 minutes or until the top is golden.
Let cool completely before sliding a knife around the edge of the Pastiera to remove the ring. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Tips and suggestions
- It is important to drain the ricotta of excess water. If the batter is too wet, it will take forever for the cake to set while baking. Trust me, I know this!
- The cake will still be slightly jiggly in the center when you take it out of the oven. However, it will set as it cools so resist the temptation to over bake it.
- I recommend you make it a day ahead as it tastes better after it has been refrigerated and the flavors have had time to blend together.
- Keep leftovers refrigerated for 3-4 days.
If you give this recipe a try, please let me know by tagging me with #mangiabedda or @mangiabedda on Facebook or Instagram. Happy Easter to all!
Here are more Easter recipes for you to check out!
- Mom’s Sicilian Ricotta Pie
- Sweet Ricotta Easter Calzone
- Sicilian Easter Cookies with Eggs
- Pizza Rustica (Easter Pie Recipe)
- Sicilian Easter Cuddura cu l’ova
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup Arborio rice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 cups granulated sugar, divided
- unsalted butter, for pan
- 3 lbs fresh ricotta, drained through cheesecloth at least 2 hours
- 3 large eggs
- 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- powdered sugar, for serving
Instructions
- In a large sauce pan, bring the milk to a boil over medium high heat. Add the cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract. Stir in the rice. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the milk has been absorbed, about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the lemon zest and 1/2 cup sugar. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and lightly flour an -8 inch springform pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, whole eggs and egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Use a spatula to fold in the cooled rice mixture. Pour into the prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet in case of leakage while baking.
- Bake about 90 minutes, until golden. Cover with foil if starting to brown too much. Transfer pan to cooling rack.
- When the pastiera has cooled completely, run a knife around the edge to loosen the ring before removing it. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Keep refrigerated.
Notes
- It is important to drain the ricotta of excess water. If the batter is too wet, it will take forever for the cake to set while baking.
- The cake will still be slightly jiggly in the center when you take it out of the oven. However, it will set as it cools so resist the temptation to over bake it.
- I recommend you make it a day ahead as it tastes better after it has been refrigerated and the flavors have had time to blend together.
Nutrition
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Can you please tell me the difference between Pastiera and ricotta pie. Maybe the crust. I know somwe people add raisns soaked in rum too???
Hello Linda, pastiera is traditionally made with grano cotto (cooked wheat) or rice and combined with ricotta. On the other hand ricotta pie has a filling that consists of ricotta, eggs and sugar. Hope this helps!
Thank you for sharing. My grandmother always made her rice pie without crust and also without ricotta cheese. Do you have a recipe for that? Or how can I substitute using your recipe. Thank you!
Hello Donna, I have actually not heard of a rice pie recipe without ricotta in it. Do you know what your grandmother used instead? I’d be quite curious to know. Thanks!
Hi Nadia. I remember her cooking the rice in milk and sugar. Cooling the mixture then adding the eggs and vanilla. But not sure if the measured amount of ingredients. A custard would always form at the top.
Hi Donna, I have not heard of this version without ricotta but it does sound delicioius! Thanks for sharing with me!
Can you substitute sheet grain in place of rice?
Hello Anthony, I’m not sure what you are referring to when you say sheet grain. Do you mean grano cotto or cooked wheat which is also traditionally used for this recipe? If so, yes it may be used instead of rice. Hope this helps!
Hello
Thank you for providing this recipe, I have a recipe from my mother, but after a move her recipes are packed away. When I read that this was an adaptation of a MS recipe but without crust, and that many would think is not the real thing without the crust I was compelled to chime in. My grandmother, and mother both born in Italy, came to live here when my mom was four (very much Italian) and these women never made it with a crust, ever. It was made at Easter, the version with rice no wheat. This is my favorite Italian desert. Also this may sound odd but my mother would do a version at Christmas with dried fruit and called it Italian fruitcake. Your version looks to be most like my family’s (to my memory) and Im excited to make your recipe and see how it tastes. I have not had it in years, but still remember how much I loved it. Thank you for what to me is authentic!
Hello Ann, thank you for sharing this me, glad to hear that your mom’s traditional recipe was also crustless! Your mom’s fruitcake version sounds delicious as well! Hope you give this recipe a try, do let me know how it turns out. Happy New Year and all the best to you!
I have tried many different recipes looking for the perfect Easter pie. I finally found it with this recipe.!
Hi Paula, this is no doubt a winning recipe due to it’s simplicity and best of all no crust to prepare. So glad you enjoyed it!
I am preparing to make it. I have been looking for a recipe for a ricotta cake/pie that a friend’s mother made for me 60 years ago. It would weep slightly because it was so moist. It looked like cake,and had a thin crust. She was a native of Sicily!
Is there a different recipe that my description reminds you of? Thanks
Hi Edward, I have in fact shared my mom’s recipe for Sicilian ricotta pie. Here it is: https://www.mangiabedda.com/moms-sicilian-ricotta-pie/. Hope this is the one you are looking for!
It looks delicious. But it does not look “weepy” or wet, as I remember eating. Is there a ricotta pie or cake that you can think of that has that wet texture? Thanks
It is moist but not wet as you mentioned. I have one more recipe on my site in which the ricotta is quite wet however it is without a crust. Check it out here: https://www.mangiabedda.com/sweet-ricotta-easter-calzone/
Delicious and easy! I make my own ricotta but definitely not essential. Huge hit with our Sicilian/ Greek family this Easter!
Hello Sarah, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. And I’m sure it is best with homemade ricotta when you have the time to make it. Thank you for your comment!
Made this for Easter dessert this year. It was fantastic, not too sweet and simple to make. My nieces loved it and said it was “if rice pudding was a cake.” One note is to definitely keep an eye on the browning in the last 20 minutes or so. One side started to brown very quickly before I caught it – probably should have covered it as suggested. I also pulled it out at 85 minutes but I was using a 9 inch pan.
Hi Lisa, I also enjoy the fact that it is not too sweet, just right! I’m glad to hear your nieces enjoyed it as well, thanks for your comment!