Maltese Ricotta Pastizzi (Pastizzi tal-Irkotta)
Pastizzi tal-irkotta Say it: pas-TEET-see tal-ir-KOT-ta
Pastizzi are Malta's beloved flaky pastries, most often filled with seasoned ricotta and baked until crisp and golden. They are eaten throughout the day, especially as a quick breakfast or snack, often with coffee. The pastry is layered and shatteringly crisp, while the ricotta filling stays soft and mild, scented with parsley and black pepper. This home version builds a simple rough puff and fills it generously. They are best warm from the oven.
Maltese Ricotta Pastizzi (Pastizzi tal-Irkotta)
Pastizzi tal-irkotta
Pronounced pas-TEET-see tal-ir-KOT-ta
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Rough puff pastry
Ricotta filling
To finish
Method
Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and toss until coated, then pour in the ice-cold water and mix with a table knife until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, pat into a rough rectangle, wrap, and chill for 20 minutes.
Roll the dough into a 10 x 6-inch (25 x 15 cm) rectangle. Fold it into thirds like a letter, rotate the dough, and repeat the rolling and folding twice more, chilling for 15 minutes if the butter starts to soften.
Mix the ricotta, egg, parsley, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper in a bowl until just combined; set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the chilled pastry on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick and cut into 4-inch (10 cm) squares.
Spoon about 1 1/2 tbsp (25 g) ricotta filling into the center of each square. Fold the pastry diagonally over the filling to make a triangle, press out any air, and crimp the edges firmly with a fork.
Brush the tops with the egg wash and arrange on the baking sheet, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) between them. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until puffed, deep golden, and crisp at the edges.
Cool on a rack for 5 minutes before eating; the filling stays hot.
Regional variants
For the other classic Maltese filling, cook split peas until soft, mash them with sautéed onion, salt, and pepper, and use in place of the ricotta; these are pastizzi tal-piżelli.
Cook's notes
- Drain the ricotta in a sieve for 30 minutes if it looks wet; a dry filling keeps the pastry crisp.
- Work quickly and keep the pastry cold; chill the filled triangles for 10 minutes before baking if the kitchen is warm.
- For a glossy, crisp finish, brush only the pastry tops with egg wash and avoid letting it drip down the cut edges.
Serve with
Warm with black coffee or tea as a snack or light breakfast.
Make ahead and storage
Baked pastizzi keep 2 days in an airtight container; reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes. Unbaked pastizzi freeze well on a tray, then bag; bake from frozen, adding 5 minutes.
