Pastizzi (Maltese stuffed pastries)

Pastizzi recipe from twomarketgirls.com with delicate pastry shells
© twomarketgirls.com

Delicious little Pastizzi are considered the national snack of Malta. These crispy pastry shells are stuffed with ricotta or mushy pea fillings. They’re typically enjoyed alongside a nice cup of tea, as are most good things in life.

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Like most beloved national dishes, people are protective over the methods and ingredients. It’s all about the filo-like pastry with Pastizzi – you want it carefully stretched and rolled to create those wonderful layers. Which is why we’re tickled to see Visit Malta suggest using ready-made puff pastry (see link below). 

There are more modern fillings out there, but we’re handing over to the experts who stick with the traditional flavours of cheese and peas:

www.amaltesemouthful.com

Marlene at A Maltese Mouthful shares this great recipe for Pastizzi, starting with the handmade flaky pastry (which needs to rest in the fridge for at least 6 hours). There are two different fillings – traditional gbejniet cheese (which can be substituted with ricotta), and a curried mushy peas and corned beef mixture. Step-by-step photos of the dough show how to achieve those delicate flaky layers. 

twomarketgirls.com

This Vegan Pastizzi with Ricotta recipe also starts with the pastry dough (with at least 1 hour to rest but ideally overnight). The ‘ricotta’ filling is a mix of tofu, almonds, miso & nutritional yeast, and has the approval of the writer’s Maltese mother (v. important)!

www.visitmalta.com

This cheat’s recipe from Visit Malta uses shop-bought puff pastry. The filling is a mix of pea and ricotta, combining the two traditional Pastizzi into one!