Maltese Ricotta Pastizzi

About this dish

Pastizzi are the everyday snack of Malta, sold warm from small shops called pastizzerias and eaten on the street at any hour. The classic fillings are ricotta (tal-irkotta) and mushy peas (tal-piżelli). The pastry is stretched thin, spread with fat and rolled up, which is what gives the many crisp layers. The shape and the pastry owe a debt to the Sicilian and Middle Eastern pastries that reached the island over the centuries.

• Vegetarian
• Not vegan because of Unsalted butter, Ricotta, Eggs
• Contains gluten because of Plain flour
• Contains dairy because of Unsalted butter, Ricotta

• 300gPlain flour
• 150mlWater
• 8gFine sea salt
• 150gUnsalted butter
• 300gRicotta
• 1pieceEggs
• 2gGround black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the flour with 5 g of the salt, add the water and knead for about 8 minutes into a smooth, soft, slightly elastic dough. Cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

   30 min

   Tip: Resting relaxes the gluten, so the dough can be stretched very thin later without springing back or tearing.

2. 2

   Beat the ricotta with the egg, the black pepper and the remaining salt until just combined. Keep it in the fridge until you need it.

   5 min

   Tip: The egg sets the filling in the oven so it stays creamy and holds its shape instead of running out. Keep it cold so it is easy to spoon.

3. 3

   Stretch the rested dough on a lightly floured surface into a very thin rectangle, as thin as you can without tearing. Spread it with the soft butter, then roll it up tightly from the long side like a Swiss roll. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

   30 min

   Tip: Each turn of the roll becomes a separate layer of dough and fat, and this is where the flakiness comes from. Chilling firms the butter so the roll can be sliced cleanly.

4. 4

   Cut the roll into 8 equal slices. Stand each slice on its end, press it flat with your palm and roll it out into an oval about 12 cm long. Put a heaped spoonful of ricotta in the middle, fold the two long sides over it so they overlap slightly, and pinch the ends closed into a diamond shape.

   20 min

   Tip: Pressing from the cut end keeps the spiral of layers on the surface, so the layers puff apart in the oven. Do not overfill, or the filling will push through the seams.

5. 5

   Place the pastizzi on a lined baking tray and bake at 200 °C for 20–25 minutes, until deep golden and crisp. Leave to cool for a few minutes and eat them warm.

   25 min

   Tip: The high heat melts the butter quickly, so the steam lifts the layers apart. Pastizzi are at their best in the first half hour, while the pastry is still crisp.