PASTIZZI

• portions: MAKES 12-15 PASTRIES
• temps actif: PREPARATION: 1½ HOURS +
• temps total: 35 MIN BAKING TIME

Ingrédients

PASTRY

220 g (8 oz) margarine at room temperature

(plus extra for brushing)

60 g (2 oz) lard at room temperature

450 g (1 lb/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

1½ teaspoons salt

220 ml (7 fl oz) water

plus 1 tablespoon if needed olive oil for shaping

RICOTTA FILLING

150 ml (5 fl oz) water,

20 g (¾ oz) butter

50 g (1¾ oz) fine semolina

PEA FILLING

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon tomato paste

(concentrated purée)

400 g (14 oz) peas, blanched if fresh or rinsed if frozen salt and pepper

1 small egg

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) ricotta

Instructions

To make the pastry, mix the margarine and lard together and set aside. Combine the flour, salt and water in a bowl and mix until you have a dry but well-combined dough. Transfer to a work surface and knead until smooth. Take a rolling pin and bash the dough into a rectangular shape running lengthways away from you. Now roll it back and forth until 4 cm (1.5 in) thick. Roll the rectangle up into a log, then spin it 90 degrees so the log is running lengthways again. Repeat the process of bashing down, rolling out, rolling up and spinning 8-10 times. This creates a dough that is elastic and firm. Finally form the dough into a ball, and use your hands to lather a quarter of the margarine mixture all over it. Place in a large plastic bag and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator - it should no longer be springy to touch. Use your hands to press the dough into a rectangle, this time running crossways on the bench. Rest a hand in the centre of the dough. while you use your other hand to pull and stretch the dough longer on one side. Swap hands and stretch the other side. Stretch until the dough is about 50 cm (20 in) long and 15 cm (6 in) wide. Now roll the dough out a little bigger, until ½-1 cm (¼-½ in) thick, around 70 cm (27½ in) long and 20 cm (8 in) wide. Lather the surface of the dough with another half of the margarine mixture (reserving a quarter).

Use the palm of your hand to stick one end of the dough to the bench. At the opposite end, start rolling the dough into a log while at the same time, gently pulling back and stretching the dough thinner. Be careful not to tear the dough, and also try to roll tightly to avoid air pockets. Once you reach the end, the log may be thinner at the ends and fatter in the middle; if so, tuck or push in the ends so the log has a similar diameter throughout. Lather the remaining margarine over the log. Return to the bag and refrigerate overnight.