Author Notes
Pasticiotti is an Italian pastry, it's a pastry crust baked in a pustie tin filled with either chocolate or vanilla filling, similar to a pudding. I grew up eating these and always looked forward to my Father bringing home a big box from the local bakery. For years I have gone to Court Street bakery in Brooklyn when I want an Italian pastry, they have been around for over half a century and the pastries are delicious and as close to my childhood memories as I have found. I wanted to try and make my own so I asked my Mother if she had a recipe, she did, it is a very old recipe from my Aunt Dee, Mom said that the recipe was handed down from my Great Grandmother. It was in Italian and measurements were not exact and I am sure it was not originally written using cups, teaspoons and tablespoons. My Aunt who was a great cook took this recipe and made it her own. I was a bit nervous making it, having never tried my hand at anything like this before, it was surprisingly easy and turned out absolutely delicious. The first time I made these I used tartlet pans and they turned out fine. Since then I have purchased pustie tins and they come out even better, I think its because of the shape of the tin, the pudding is heavy and the crust delicate and the tins are smaller at the bottom becoming larger at the top similar to a brioche mold. You will notice an extract called fiori di sicilia used in this recipe, it has a flowery, citrusy taste and is used in many Italian pastries. You can find it at Bakers Catalog (King Arthur Flour) you can also add a little orange zest instead. If you do plan to make these invest in pustie tins, they are inexpensive and worth having even if you only make these every now and then. —sdebrango
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Ingredients
- The pastry crust
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4 cups
Flour
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1 teaspoon
Baking Powder
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2 cups
Light brown Sugar (Not packed)
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8 ounces
(1 cup) Lard cold (highly recommend leaf lard)
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2
eggs
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1 teaspoon
Vanilla
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1/4 cup
Cold whole Milk
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Egg wash, Beat one egg with a teaspoon of sugar to brush on the pastry before baking
- Making the flling and the pasticiotti
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Vanilla filling
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1/3 cup
Flour
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1/8 teaspoon
salt
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2/3 cup
Sugar
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2 cups
milk or water (original recipe used water)
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3
egg yolks
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1 teaspoon
Vanilla
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1/8 teaspoon
Fiori di Sicilia (Optional)
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1 tablespoon
Butter
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Chocolate filling
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1 cup
Flour
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2 cups
Sugar
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2/3 cup
Unsweetened Cocoa powder
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Pinch of salt
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4 cups
Warm Milk or water
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2
egg yolks beaten
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1 teaspoon
Vanilla
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1/4 teaspoon
Fiori di Sicilia (optional)
Directions
- The pastry crust
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Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl add the flour, brown sugar,baking powder, and salt, whisk to combine making sure any clumps of brown sugar are incorporated.
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In measuring cup add the milk and eggs, beat together then add the vanilla and stir to incorporate
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Measure or weigh your lard or shortening/butter and add to dry ingredients, use a pastry cutter to cut the lard into the flour mixture it should resemble crumbs. Add the milk, egg and vanilla and with a fork combine. Working quickly gather the dough into a cohesive disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Making the flling and the pasticiotti
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For the chocolate filling in medium saucepan add flour,chocolate, sugar, a pinch of salt and whisk to combine. While whisking add the warm milk and keep whisking until its combined and there are no lumps. Turn flame to medium and whisking constantly cook until mixture thickens, add about 1 cup of hot mixture to beaten egg yolks and add back to saucepan. Continue cooking on medium heat, stirring or whisking constantly until it becomes very thick. It takes a while for the filling to become thick, keep stirring, its a good workout. Once the filling is very thick remove from heat stir in the vanilla, place some plastic wrap directly on the filling and let cool on counter until room temperature, then refrigerate until completely cool. NOTE: the original recipe for the chocolate filling uses water instead of milk. I like using milk rather than water but you can do either. I also like to make the pastry and filling the day before and refrigerate both overnight.
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For the Vanilla filling: Place flour, sugar and pinch of salt in saucepan add milk and whisk until smooth and there are no lumps. Turn flame on medium and cook whisking constantly. When hot and slightly thick add approximately half of filling to beaten egg yolks add back to saucepan and continue cooking until mixture is thick. Add vanilla and butter, place plastic wrap directly on the filling and let come to room temperature, then refrigerate until completely cooled. If adding Fiori di Sicilia add at the end when you add the vanilla.
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Flour work surface,Cut dough in half one half will be bottom crust the other top crust, place half of dough back in refrigerator while working. Have your pustie tins or fluted tartlet pans ready.Either roll or press the dough into the pans it should be approximately 1/4 in thick. When you have put the dough in the tins, place in refrigerator while you roll out the dough for the tops, the dough should be about 1/4 in thick and cut into rounds that fit the top of the tin. Take tins from refrigerator fill with the chocolate or vanilla filling just slightly below the top of the tin. Place the top on, press together making sure the bottom crust and top crust are joined trim any excess dough. Brush with egg wash and place in refrigerator for a few minutes just to get the pastry cold. Remove from the refrigerator, place tins on baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven place on cooling rack and let sit at room temperature for 45 min to an hour or until COMPLETELY COOLED. Gently remove from the tins and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight covered with plastic wrap.
I have loved to cook for as long as I can remember, am self taught learning as I go. I come from a large Italian family and food was at the center of almost every gathering. My grandfather made his own wine and I remember the barrels of wine in the cellar of my grandfathers home, I watched my mother and aunts making homemade pasta and remember how wonderful it was to sit down to a truly amazing dinner. Cooking for me is a way to express myself its my creative outlet. I enjoy making all types of food but especially enjoy baking,
I live in Brooklyn, NY, and I share my home with my two dogs Izzy and Nando.
I like to collect cookbooks and scour magazines and newspapers for recipes. I hope one day to organize them.
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