Pastizzi

If the ricotta is very wet, place it in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and let it drain for at least thirty minutes, pressing gently with a spoon to remove excess moisture that would make the pastries soggy.

Combine the drained ricotta, two eggs, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Beat with a fork until the mixture is smooth, well combined, and holds together without being runny or watery.

If using puff pastry, roll it out thinly on a lightly floured surface to about three millimetres thick. Cut into rounds approximately ten centimetres in diameter using a circular cutter or the rim of a large glass.

If using phyllo dough, lay out one sheet at a time, brush with melted butter, stack three sheets together, then cut into strips about ten centimetres wide. Keep remaining sheets covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.

Place one heaped tablespoon of the ricotta filling in the centre of each pastry round or at the end of each phyllo strip. Fold the dough over the filling into a half-moon or diamond shape, pressing the edges firmly to seal.

Arrange the pastizzi on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving two centimetres between each one. Brush the tops lightly with the egg yolk wash to promote even golden browning during baking.

Bake in a preheated oven at two hundred degrees Celsius for eighteen to twenty minutes until the pastry is deeply golden brown, puffed, and the layers have visibly separated into flaky sheets. The filling should be slightly set.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for five minutes before serving. Pastizzi are best eaten warm on the same day they are baked, when the pastry is at its crispiest and flakiest.