Ingredients:

For the pastry dough:

1 lb all purpose, about 3 3/4 cups

1 cup sugar

1 cup shortening (or butter, cut into small chunks)

3 Oz cold milk

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

For the pastry cream: 

1 quart half and half (whole milk can be substituted)

4 eggs

3⁄4 c sugar

1 1⁄4 c flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp lemon extract

Additional ingredients:

Sour cherries ( I use the famous Italian Amarene Fabbri)

Egg wash (beaten egg and milk)

Powdered sugar, as needed

Directions:

Make the pastry dough by placing all the ingredients listed for it into the bowl of a standing mixer with a dough attachment in place. 

Mix on low until all ingredients are well combined and form a smooth dough ball.

Remove and wrap with plastic film.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Next, make the cream.

Pour the half and half (or milk) into a small pan and place on low heat until warm.

Meanwhile, place the eggs, sugar, vanilla and lemon extract into a separate pan. Wisk until well-blended. Add sifted flour and continue to whisk until creamy and smooth.

Add 1/3 of the warm milk to the egg mixture while stirring constantly until fully mixed. Repeat this step 2 more times so that all the milk is incorporated.

Place pan back on burner on low heat, stirring the entire time to avoid sticking and formation of lumps.

Bring to a gentle boil (about 5-7 minutes) and cook two more minutes, until the cream thickens to a pudding consistency.

Remove pan from stove and pour the cream into a glass bowl. Immediately cover with plastic wrap (sticking to the top of the cream) to avoid the formation of a “dry skin”.

Preheat oven to 375F.

If you have pasticciotti forms, grease and flour them evenly.

If you don’t, you can use a cupcake pan also greased and floured.

Remove dough from fridge and place on a well-floured surface.

Divide dough in two pieces.

With a rolling pin, roll first half into an even layer, about 1/4” thick.

With a round cookie cutter (4” to 5” big, according to your form size), cut 12 circles.

Line bottom and sides of forms with dough circles.

Make a couple of pricks with fork on bottom only.

Fill each cavity with pastry cream.

Place a couple of sour cherries on top of cream filling.

Roll remaining dough as the first.

With a smaller, round cookie cutter (about 3”), cut 12 circles.

Place each circle on top of each pastry.

Gently press sides with fingertips to seal.

Brush tops with egg wash.

Bake in hot oven for about 20-25 minutes until tops are golden.

Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Remove from forms while they are still a little warm or they will not come out. 

Pasticciotti can be served fresh or (even better) cold by placing them in refrigerator overnight.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Makes 12.

TIPS:

I prefer using shortening in this recipe because that’s what the original recipe calls for and it’s what my nonna used. 

A tip within the tips, Crisco changed its ingredients from their original recipe (which included animal fats) but the Walmart equivalent comes in two varieties: their Shortening for Baking version is what the original Crisco recipe used to be; their All Vegetable for Frying is what the new Crisco is now. I used the first, authentic kind.

Amarene Fabbri are as iconic as Nutella in the Italian food industry. Even Costco carries them now but, if you can’t find them, use any brand of sour cherries.