Collection (2) Maltese Pastizzi (Meat and Cheese Cakes)
Tzigane
Cheese Pastizzi
Meat Pastizzi
>Request From: Bear...@webtv.net (Cyndra Patch)
>I am looking for a Maltese recipe for Pisticis (Spelling). This is an
>appetizer with ground beef, onions, and peas in a dough.
Cheese Pastizzi
2 lbs. flaky pastry dough
2 lbs. ricotta cheese
Salt
2 eggs
Mix the rikotta cheese with the two eggs until the eggs are thoroughly mixed
into the rikotta cheese. Add a bit of salt to the mixture for taste. Roll
out the dough (do not make the dough too thin.) Cut the dough into three to
four-inch circles. Put one tablespoon of the rikotta cheese mix in the middle
of each circle. Fold each circle from the top and the bottom to the centre
and squeeze the edges together so that the pocket is sealed (the horizontal
ends should be formed into points.) Put the pastizzi on a margarine greased
baking sheet. Bake in a moderate oven (350-425 degrees) for about one hour.
You will need to experiment a bit with the oven temperature and the cooking
time. The pastizzi should be a golden-brown colour when they're ready.
They're best eaten when they are warm with a cup of good coffee or tea.
Enjoy!
Meat Pastizzi
2 lbs. flaky pastry dough
1 or 2 small onions
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 cans (12 oz.) of peas
2 tsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. spices
Mince the onions and fry in a bit of oil. When the onions start turning dark
in colour add the hamburger. Cook for a bit and then add the tomato paste and
the spices. Mix well and then add the pees. Add pepper and salt to taste.
Roll out the dough (do not make the dough too thin.) Cut the dough into
three to four inch circles. Put one tablespoon of the meat mix in the middle
of each circle. Fold each circle from the top and the bottom to the centre
and squeeze the edges together so that the pocket is sealed (the horizontal
ends should be formed into points.) Put the pastizzi on a margarine greased
baking sheet. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for about one hour.
You may need to experiment a bit with the oven temperature and the cooking
time. The pastizzi should be a golden-brown colour when they're ready.
They're best eaten when they are warm with a cup of good coffee or tea.
Enjoy!
Note: You can substitute Pillsbury Flaky Pastry Dough for home-made flaky
pastry dough...if you're lazy like me!
Flaky Pastry Dough (Ghagina tal-Isfoll)
8 oz. all-purpose flour
6 oz. margarine, cut into half-inch cubes
6-7 Tbsp. cold water
dash of salt
First, here are a few secrets you need to know if you are to be successful
making this dough!
The key is that everything you use must be cold! The dough must also be kept
cold at all times. The best working surface for the dough is a slab of marble
since marble tends to stay cool. Always store the dough covered with a damp
cloth in your refrigerator, but before storing it, make sure you remove any
loose flour. Always sprinkle the working surface, the rolling pin, and the
dough with flour before you start working the dough. Never turn over the
dough while you are working it. Instead, turn it flat on the board (or turn
the board itself) clockwise before each rolling and always in the same
direction. This is one of the hardest doughs to make and you may have to try
it a few times before you get it right!
Sift flour and salt together. Divide the margarine into half-inch squares.
Drop margarine squares into flour making sure not to squash them. Mix
lightly until all margarine cubes are covered with flour (make sure that the
cubes remain intact.) Add water and mix lightly with a knife again making
sure that the cubes remain intact. If some flour is left loose, add a
teaspoon of cold water at a time until all the flour is used. The resulting
dough should be very soft. Sprinkle the dough and the working surface with
flour. Work the dough into an elongated shape using your finger tips.
Sprinkle some flour on the rolling pin and roll the dough until it's about
eight inches long and not more than five inches wide. Now do the steps below
exactly.
Fold the lower third toward the top. Now fold the upper third toward the
bottom on top of the first fold. You should end up with a three-layered
rectangle.
With light pressure from the rolling pin, seal the three edges.
Remove any extra flour. Now turn the folded dough anti-clockwise so that the
right side is at the top. Roll the dough lightly until it is nine inches long
and six inches wide.
Repeat steps one and two.
Cover the dough with a damp cloth and store in the refrigerator for twenty
minutes.
Repeat steps one through four, four times.
The dough can now be rolled out to the desired thickness and used for
pastizzi or even Timpana.
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