Pasta Ciotti Recipe - Mangia BenePasta (2024)

To make the dough:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in the milk, vanilla, and egg. Use your hands to combine the ingredients into a smooth ball of dough. Cover the dough and set it aside.

To make the filling:
In a medium saucepan, combine the cornstarch and sugar. Whisk in the half and half and the egg yolks. Place the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in the butter and almond extract. Transfer the custard to a bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface. The plastic wrap will prevent a skin from forming on the custard.

To assemble the Pasta Ciotti:
Assemble 12 (3 x 1-1/4 inch tart pans) or a lightly greased 12-cup muffin pan.

Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Set one of the pieces aside. Combine the 2 remaining pieces and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough until it is 1/4-inch thick. Using a 3-1/2 to 4-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 12 circles of dough. Press each one into the bottom and up the sides of 3-inch tart pans. Place the tart pans on a baking sheet. If you are using a muffin pan, press the dough about 2/3 up the sides of the pan.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the filling into each tart shell. Combine your dough scraps with the remaining piece of dough. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. With a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 12 circles of dough. Place a circle of dough over each tart and pinch the edges together to seal. Refrigerate the tarts for 30 minutes.

To bake the Pasta Ciotti:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. With a pastry brush, brush the top of each tart with the egg wash. Bake the tarts 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Remove the tarts to racks to cool in the pans about 15 minutes.
If you baked the tarts in a muffin pans, gently run a sharp knife around the edge of each tart to loosen it. After 15 minutes, remove the tarts from the pans and transfer to a rack to cool completely. Sprinkle the tops with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Pasta Ciotti are best eaten within a few hours but they may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Limoncello Filling:
Stir 1 tablespoon Limoncello into the filling in place of the almond extract.

Orange Filling:
Stir 1 tablespoon orange liqueur and a teaspoon of grated orange zest into the filling in place of the almond extract.