Pastizzi A Savoury Pastry From Malta

My daughter came home from school with an assignment to create a dish from another country. She had to choose a country but not Italy because of her background. A few of the girls had already chosen their countries and she was having a difficult time choosing. I suggested Malta. Her aunt was Maltese and she could share with her Malta's signature dishes. In speaking with her my daughter Madeleine decided to do one of Malta's signature foods - Pastizzi. We've had this savoury dish before and let me tell you! Wow. You cannot stop at one.

There's two fillings to this dish. One is filled with cheese and the other is a meat filling using corned beef and peas. Today we will share with you the cheese pastizzi.

Cheese Filled Pastizzi

1 pkg. (397gr) puff pastry I used tenderflake
1 tub (400 gr) ricotta
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 eggs lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste

Mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, 1 egg, salt and pepper in a large bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, beat one egg.

Roll out the pastry dough on a floured surface. Cut 4 inch circumference circles with a round cookie cutter or a rim of a large mug. Brush with egg wash.

Brush dough with egg was before filling

 

Fill with the cheese mixture and fold over. Pinch edges together and brush the top of the pastry with egg wash and score the top of the pastizzi.

Fill with cheese, fold and seal the edges by pinching

Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Rotate pan halfway through.

Serve this as an afternoon snack or as an appetizer.