Neapolitan Easter Pie

Baker John Barricelli shares his grandfather's recipe for a savory Neapolitan Easter pie.

Ingredients

Place wheat in a medium bowl. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Refrigerate overnight. Drain, and transfer to a medium saucepan. Add milk,1 cup water, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 1 hour. Drain, and spread on a baking sheet. Let cool, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta and sugar. Add cooled wheat, and pastry cream. Stir to combine.
Remove the larger piece of dough from refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 16-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Fit into a 12-by-2-inch cake pan. Pour filling into the crust; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining piece of dough, 1/8-inch-thick. Cut into 3/4-inch lattice strips. Weave the lattice strips over the filling, pinching edges to seal. Crimp edges as desired.
Brush top of pie evenly with egg wash. Transfer to oven, and bake, rotating halfway through, until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.