The perfect recipe for Easter: with Peppe Guida's Neapolitan pastiera, you can't go wrong. Here's the process for turning it into a stellar dessert with great impact.

FOR THE ORANGE PASTE

2 organic oranges to candy
500 g sugar
150 g of good acacia or orange honey

Procedure

Cut the oranges into slices about half an inch thick.

Dissolve the sugar in 500 g of water. Arrange the orange slices in the bottom of the pan, wide and low, cover them with the syrup and bring to a boil. Let them simmer very slowly for about 40 minutes.

Drain and set them to dry on a rack overnight or so. Finally, blend them and mix with honey.

(The syrup should not be thrown away! It will make an excellent cake topping. It will keep in the refrigerator, in a sealed jar).

FOR THE SHORTCRUST PASTRY

1 kg flour
400 g sugar
400 g lard (or butter)
5 eggs
Grated citrus peels

Procedure

Place the flour in a heap and put the lard (or cream butter), eggs and flavorings in the center. Knead quickly.

FOR THE NAPOLETAN PASTIERA (two 24-cm molds).

1 kg of shortcrust pastry
600 g ricotta cheese
600 g sugar
500 g cooked wheat
5 eggs
100 g orange paste
1 pinch of cinnamon
½ vanilla bean
1 ampoule of orange blossom

Procedure

Sift the ricotta and mix with the sugar. Add the wheat a little at a time.

Once well dissolved, add the eggs, orange paste, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix well.

Line the two 24-cm molds with shortcrust pastry and fill them with the filling. For each pastiera, cut out seven strips and apply them over the filling, crisscrossing them.

Bake at 170°C for 50 to 60 minutes, depending on the oven.