Pasticiotti Or Pasta Ciotti Recipes

Steps:

• Dough: Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the milk, vanilla, and egg and use your hands to mix the ingredients into a smooth ball of dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside. Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch and sugar, making sure there are no lumps. Gradually whisk in the milk. Add the butter, place the saucepan over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the egg yolk and almond extract. Set the custard aside. To Assemble and Bake: Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece into an 11-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Using a 3-inch fluted biscuit cutter, cut out circles of dough and press each one into the bottom and up the sides of 3 x 1 1/4-inch tart pans (or use "Pustie Tins" ). Reroll the scraps and cut out additional circles. You should have 12 tart shells. Place the tart pans on a cookie sheet. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling into each tart shell. Roll out the second piece of dough and cut out 3-inch circles. Place a circle over each tart and pinch the edges closed. With a pastry brush, paint the top of each tart with the egg wash. Refrigerate the tarts for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F/220 degrees C. Bake the tarts on the middle oven rack for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Remove the tarts to racks and let cool completely. Carefully remove the tarts from the pans. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Makes 1 dozen (3-inch) tarts. *Notes: If you make miniature tarts, bake for only 8 to 10 minutes. This recipe makes about 2 1/2 dozen miniature tarts. Pasticiotti Tins (or sometimes called "Pustie" Tins) may be purchased online FILLING VARIATIONS VANILLA FILLING Ingredients: 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups milk 3 egg yolks, beaten well 2 tsp. vanilla extract Place sugar and flour in a saucepan. Slowly whisk in milk and egg yolks to prevent lumps. Cook until thick, stirring frequently. Cool, then add vanilla. CHOCOLATE FILLING Ingredients: 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup milk 1 cup water 1 egg, beaten well 1 tsp. vanilla extract Place sugar, flour, and cocoa powder in a saucepan. Slowly whisk in milk, water, and egg to prevent lumps. Cook until thick, stirring frequently. Cool, then add vanilla. RICOTTA FILLING Ingredients: 2 pounds (907g) ricotta cheese 3/4 pound (340g) confectioners' sugar Combine ingredients and use as filling for Pasticiotti.

Steps:

• 1. Make the fillings first, so that they are completely cooled by the time the crusts are ready to go.
• 2. Choose the flavor to start with and combine the flour and sugar in a saucepan. Slowly whisk in the eggs and milk until completely incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, stirring frequently (add chocolate at this point, stirring until completely melted). Cool, then add the flavoring of your choice. Make certain that the filling is completely cool before filling the crusts.
• 3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray the cups of a muffin pan or pustie tins with cooking spray and set aside. Mix all crust ingredients in a medium bowl. Do not overwork the dough or it will get tough. Break the dough into two separate rounds. Cover the first with Saran wrap to prevent drying while you roll out the other. Roll out the dough to a 1/4" thickness. Cut with a knife or pizza slicer into 12 (for large muffin tins) or 24 (for mini muffin tins) squares.
• 4. Pat bottom crusts into muffin cups, covering the bottoms and sides of each. Roll out the second dough round to 1/4" thickness. Cut into round tops with a biscuit cutter for tops.
• 5. Fill the cups with filling. Cover cups with dough tops. Trim off any excess dough. Paint the tops of the pusties with egg wash before baking.
• 6. Place in oven for 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and then remove from tins and let continue to cool right side up.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1 cup of sugar. Cut in margarine by pinching between your fingers, or using a pastry blender, until the mixture has lumps no larger than small peas. Make a well in the center, and pour in the eggs, 1/2 cup milk and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Stir until the mixture comes together, then knead for about 5 turns on a lightly floured surface.
• Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Grease two 12 cup muffin tins or tart pans. Cut out 20 circles using a 3 inch cookie cutter or drinking glass. Line the muffin cups with the dough. Set aside the remaining dough to cut out tops for the cups.
• In the top of a double boiler, or in a metal bowl set atop a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the cornstarch and 3/4 cup sugar. Gradually whisk in 3 of the egg yolks, and 1quart milk. Heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbling. Remove from the heat, and stir in the butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until the butter is melted.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fill the pastry shells half way with the vanilla cream. Roll out remaining dough, and cut into circles for lids. Place over the top of the pastry shells, and seal the edges by pressing with the tines of a fork. Whisk the remaining egg yolk with a fork, and brush the tops of the pastry cups.
• Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Let cool in the tins before carefully loosening the edges to remove. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.