Chocolate Pasticiotti Food

PASTICIOTTI OR PASTA CIOTTI

Steps:

• Dough:
• Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
• Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
• Add the milk, vanilla, and egg and use your hands to mix the ingredients into a smooth ball of dough.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside.
• Filling:
• In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch and sugar, making sure there are no lumps.
• Gradually whisk in the milk.
• Add the butter, place the saucepan over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thickened.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the egg yolk and almond extract. Set the custard aside.
• To Assemble and Bake:
• Divide the dough in half.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece into an 11-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick.
• Using a 3-inch fluted biscuit cutter, cut out circles of dough and press each one into the bottom and up the sides of 3 x 1 1/4-inch tart pans.
• Reroll the scraps and cut out additional circles. You should have 12 tart shells.
• Place the tart pans on a cookie sheet. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling into each tart shell.
• Roll out the second piece of dough and cut out 3-inch circles. Place a circle over each tart and pinch the edges closed.
• With a pastry brush, paint the top of each tart with the egg wash. Refrigerate the tarts for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees . Bake the tarts on the middle oven rack for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Remove the tarts to racks and let cool completely.
• Carefully remove the tarts from the pans. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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PASTICIOTTI

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1 cup of sugar. Cut in margarine by pinching between your fingers, or using a pastry blender, until the mixture has lumps no larger than small peas. Make a well in the center, and pour in the eggs, 1/2 cup milk and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Stir until the mixture comes together, then knead for about 5 turns on a lightly floured surface.
• Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Grease two 12 cup muffin tins or tart pans. Cut out 20 circles using a 3 inch cookie cutter or drinking glass. Line the muffin cups with the dough. Set aside the remaining dough to cut out tops for the cups.
• In the top of a double boiler, or in a metal bowl set atop a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the cornstarch and 3/4 cup sugar. Gradually whisk in 3 of the egg yolks, and 1quart milk. Heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbling. Remove from the heat, and stir in the butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until the butter is melted.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fill the pastry shells half way with the vanilla cream. Roll out remaining dough, and cut into circles for lids. Place over the top of the pastry shells, and seal the edges by pressing with the tines of a fork. Whisk the remaining egg yolk with a fork, and brush the tops of the pastry cups.
• Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Let cool in the tins before carefully loosening the edges to remove. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

SWEET RICOTTA PASTRIES

Steps:

• Make filling:
• Bring milk and zest to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan, then remove from heat. Whisk together yolk, sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk in milk, then transfer mixture to saucepan.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, and boil 1 minute. Stir in vanilla, then transfer to a clean bowl and chill custard, its surface covered with parchment paper (to prevent a skin from forming), until cold, at least 1 hour. Discard zest.
• Pulse ricotta in a food processor until smooth. Whisk into custard. Stir in orange-flower water and citron. Chill until ready to use.
• Prepare pastry while custard chills:
• Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in cleaned food processor until combined. Add butter and zest and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Add yolks and water and pulse until just incorporated and dough begins to form large clumps.
• Turn out dough onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together, using a pastry or bench scraper if you have one, and form into a ball.
• Generously butter muffin cups and top of pan. Press 2 tablespoon dough over bottom and up side of each muffin cup in an even layer with well-floured fingers. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, roll out remaining dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper into a 9-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and transfer to a baking sheet, discarding top sheet of paper. Cut 12 (1/2-inch-wide) strips, then cut in half crosswise to make 24 strips total. Chill until ready to use.
• Assemble and Bake pastries:
• Spoon a scant 2 tablespoons filling into each muffin cup and smooth, then crisscross 2 strips on top of filling, trimming to fit. Brush pastry cross with egg wash. Bake until filling is puffed and starting to crack and edges are golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Invert a rack on top of pan, then flip pan and remove. Turn pastries right side up and cool completely.