Ingredients for the dough:

• 300 g of 00 flour
• 150 g of soft butter
• 100 g of sugar
• 2 whole eggs + 1 yolk (for brushing)
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Ingredients for the custard:

• 500 ml of whole milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 100 g of sugar
• 40 g di amido di mais (maizena)
• Start by preparing the custard:
  • In a small saucepan, bring the milk to the boil together with the grated lemon zest and, if desired, a little vanilla (you can use either the extract or the open and scraped pod).
  • In a large bowl, mix the egg yolks and sugar until frothy. Add the cornstarch and continue mixing until smooth.
  • Gradually pour the boiling milk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly to avoid lumps forming.
  • Transfer the mixture into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the cream has thickened (about 5-7 minutes).
  • Remove from heat, remove lemon zest and transfer cream to a bowl. Cover with cling film touching the surface of the cream to prevent a crust from forming. Let cool completely.
• Preparing the dough for the pasticciotti:
• In a large bowl, mix the sifted flour with the sugar, grated lemon zest and baking powder.
• Add the soft butter cut into pieces and work the dough with your hands until you obtain a sandy mixture.
• Add the whole eggs and continue to work the dough until it becomes homogeneous and smooth. Form a ball with the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• Vanilla (optional)
• Take the dough from the refrigerator and divide it into two parts. Roll out each part with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, until it is about 3-4 mm thick.
• Line some pasticciotti molds (usually made of metal and have a dome shape with fluted edges) with the mixture, pressing well to adapt it to the shape.
• Fill each mold with the cooled pastry cream, filling them up to 3/4 of the mold.
• Roll out the remaining dough and cover the molds with a disc of puff pastry.
• Brush the surface of the pasticciotti with the lightly beaten egg yolk.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 25-30 minutes, or until the pasticciotti are golden on the surface.
• Let the pasticciotti cool in the molds for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Sprinkle the pasticciotti with icing sugar before serving.
• Suggestions:
• You can customize the pasticciotti by adding a drop of liqueur (such as Strega liqueur) to the custard for a more intense flavor.
• If you don’t have specific molds for pasticciotti, you can use muffin molds as an alternative.
• Pasticcetti are perfect to enjoy as a dessert after a meal or as a sweet with a good coffee or tea. I hope this recipe will allow you to prepare delicious pasticciotti to share with friends and family!