Pusties Pastaciotti Food

PUSTIES PASTACIOTTI RECIPE

Steps:

• You will need special tins, they have fluted edges. Try online and search for pustie tins. You will need 12 large fluted pusty tins or 24 small. Silicone molded tins work great also.
• Mix crust ingredients in a large bowl, careful not to work the dough too long, a mixer master with a flat beater works great ( if the dough doesn't come together add 1 teaspoon more of water at a time. Spray each tin or silicone tart with oil spray for easier release when using metal or even silicone molds.
• Roll dough 1/2 inch thick (not to thin) I break 24 pieces of dough evenly up so I have enough tops and bottoms. Roll out, pat down in each tin. Save scraps. Brush insides edge with an egg wash using whites or the whole egg has beaten that is the glue to seal the edges.
• Roll out remaining dough and cut into rounds to fit for the tops of each tin.
• Place cooled filling in each pastry-lined fluted pustie tin pan and cover each with a round of dough.
• Paint top of pusties with beaten egg yolk before baking crimp edges with a finger or a fork.
• Bake in preheated 400-degree oven for 20 minutes or until lightly brown on top ovens vary, sometimes as long as 35 minutes. Cool a few minutes, if they look like they stuck around the edges, take a knife to loosen, pop out of the tins onto wax paper and cool before completely flipping right side up.
• Fillings:
• Homemade pudding below is what I use however you can make packaged pudding below.
• For the Chocolate boxed: use chocolate cooking pudding and add only 1 1/2 cups of milk to a box which is thicker and works well. You will need two boxes for the whole recipe. Chocolate or Vanilla or both.
• For the Vanilla boxed: Add two egg yolks to a box of cooking Vanilla pudding with the 1 1/2 cups of milk and for added flavor a teaspoon of vanilla extract after thickened. This makes a richer pudding.
• Another variation is to add raspberry jam on the bottom and 1 teaspoon of almond paste on the top, add a little vanilla pudding cooked on top.
• Also, Lemon cooked pudding could be used and as above directions decrease the water to make a thicker pudding by a half cup to package directions.
• Any pie filling can be used or even pumpkin pie filling for other variations.
• Homemade chocolate pudding version and this pastry cream is what I use below:
• Chocolate Homemade Pastry Filling:
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 3 heaping tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 squares (1 ounce each) chocolate, unsweetened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Vanilla Homemade Pastry Filling:
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 3 egg yolks, beaten well
• 2 teaspoons vanilla or rum
• Place sugar and flour in a saucepan. Slowly whisk in milk and egg yolks to incorporate and make smooth. Cook until thick, stirring frequently. Cool, then add vanilla or rum.

PASTACIOTTI (AKA "PUSTIES")

Steps:

• 1. Make the fillings first, so that they are completely cooled by the time the crusts are ready to go.
• 2. Choose the flavor to start with and combine the flour and sugar in a saucepan. Slowly whisk in the eggs and milk until completely incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, stirring frequently (add chocolate at this point, stirring until completely melted). Cool, then add the flavoring of your choice. Make certain that the filling is completely cool before filling the crusts.
• 3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray the cups of a muffin pan or pustie tins with cooking spray and set aside. Mix all crust ingredients in a medium bowl. Do not overwork the dough or it will get tough. Break the dough into two separate rounds. Cover the first with Saran wrap to prevent drying while you roll out the other. Roll out the dough to a 1/4" thickness. Cut with a knife or pizza slicer into 12 (for large muffin tins) or 24 (for mini muffin tins) squares.
• 4. Pat bottom crusts into muffin cups, covering the bottoms and sides of each. Roll out the second dough round to 1/4" thickness. Cut into round tops with a biscuit cutter for tops.
• 5. Fill the cups with filling. Cover cups with dough tops. Trim off any excess dough. Paint the tops of the pusties with egg wash before baking.
• 6. Place in oven for 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and then remove from tins and let continue to cool right side up.

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.