Maltese Pastizzi

Pastizzi are traditional Maltese pastries and probably the most popular snack on this glorious Mediterranean island. Sold across Malta, your holiday won’t be complete without taking a bite of this delicious treat.

As this snack is so good, we wanted to share a recipe with you to enjoy at home. Made with pastry which crumbles like a croissant, pastizzi are most often filled with ricotta, but can come with other fillings such as peas and anchovies. Take a look at our recipe below for ricotta-filled pastizzi – we’ve kept it simple using ready-made pastry – but if you’re a baker, you might like to prepare your own.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup of full-fat ricotta (feel free to use a reduced fat alternative but avoid fat-free)
• 1 large egg
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 clove of minced garlic
• 1 handful of parmesan cheese
• 4 sheets 750g ready-made puff pastry (chilled)

CREATING YOUR MASTERPIECE

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F and line a baking sheet. Lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, garlic, parsley and parmesan and mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Take the pastry out of the fridge and lay a sheet of pastry on a clean work surface.
4. Cut 3in circles into each pastry sheet using either a biscuit cutter or an overturned glass.
5. Working with one pastry circle at a time, put a teaspoon of the ricotta filling into the centre.
6. Fold one side of the circle into the middle, then fold the other half over the filling. Pinch all sides to seal the filling inside. Don’t worry too much about how they look when the pastry is raw as the puffiness will form a nice shape when baked. Make sure that they are securely folded or you’ll find they may puff open during baking.
7. Repeat with the remaining pastry circles.
8. Flatten the bottom of your pastizzi on the work surface and transfer to a lined baking sheet.
9. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and a deep golden brown.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving with a cup of tea or coffee. Want to try the real thing – why not visit Malta on a guided holiday with Travelsphere?