Pastizzi
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Ready-made rough puff pastry (or homemade), or 2 cups plain flour with 250 g butter for homemade — 500 g (1 lb 2 oz)
- Fresh ricotta — 300 g (10.5 oz)
- Egg yolk — 1
- Salt and pepper — to taste
- Cooked, mashed peas (150 g / 5 oz), for the alternative filling — 1 cup
- Small onion, finely chopped, for the pea filling — 1
- Ground turmeric, for the pea filling — 1/2 tsp
Method
- If making the pea filling, sauté the onion until soft, then mix with the mashed peas and turmeric, seasoning to taste.
- For the ricotta filling, mix the ricotta with the egg yolk, salt and pepper until smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Roll the pastry thinly and cut into squares about 10 cm (4 in) across.
- Place a spoonful of filling in the centre of each square.
- Fold the corners up and over the filling to form a distinctive pointed diamond shape, pinching the seams to seal loosely at the top.
- Place on a baking tray and bake for 25–30 minutes until puffed and golden.
Introduction: Flaky, diamond-folded pastries filled with either creamy ricotta or spiced mushy peas, Malta’s most famous grab-and-go snack.
Cultural Background: Pastizzi are sold from small kiosks known as ‘pastizzeriji’ at all hours across Malta, deeply woven into daily life as a quick breakfast, late-night snack or anytime treat, with the ricotta and pea versions being the two enduring classics.
Tips: Keep the pastry cold while working with it for the flakiest results. Don’t seal the pastizzi too tightly at the top — a small opening is traditional and allows steam to escape.
Variations: Make half a batch with ricotta and half with peas for variety. Add a pinch of nutmeg to the ricotta filling for extra warmth.
Storage: Store cooled pastizzi in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or freeze unbaked for later use.
Reheating: Reheat in an oven at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes to restore flakiness.
Nutrition: Per serving (approx., 2 pieces): 380 kcal, 10 g protein, 26 g fat, 26 g carbohydrate.
FAQs:
Q: Which filling is more traditional?
A: Both ricotta and pea fillings are equally classic and widely
Q: Can pastizzi be frozen?
A: Yes, they freeze very well unbaked; bake straight from frozen, adding a
- Ready-made rough puff pastry (or homemade), or 2 cups plain flour with 250 g butter for homemade — 500 g (1 lb 2 oz)
- Fresh ricotta — 300 g (10.5 oz)
- Egg yolk — 1
- Salt and pepper — to taste
- Cooked, mashed peas (150 g / 5 oz), for the alternative filling — 1 cup
- Small onion, finely chopped, for the pea filling — 1
- Ground turmeric, for the pea filling — 1/2 tsp
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