Bocconotti are pastries known in various regions of Italy. Where they originated is unclear, with some saying Abruzzo or Puglia, and depending on the place, the filling changes. They are made with shortcrust pastry and are quite small in size, although some tend to make them larger, but according to legend, this name was given because those who ate them devoured them in one bite. The first time I tasted them was in Brindisi and they were filled with custard, and since I love custard, I decided to fill them this way, but you can go back to various areas and fill them with jam like in Calabria, chocolate like in Abruzzo, ricotta in the province of Bari, etc. All delicious!! Now I leave you with my custard bocconotti.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 22 pieces
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup lard
- 2/3 cup sugar
- grated lemon zest
- custard cream
- powdered sugar to taste
Tools
1.5-inch muffin cups
2-inch cookie cutter or mold
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- Baking sheet
- Pastry brush
- Dough scraper
Steps
In a stand mixer, place the flour and pieces of lard, start the machine with the K hook and make the dough sandy. Then add the sugar, egg, and grated lemon zest and start the machine again.
In a few seconds, the dough will be ready. Place it on a base, make it uniform, and wrap it in cling film, letting it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes (if it stays longer, nothing will happen).
After the resting time, take the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 1/8 inch.
Using the mold or cookie cutter, form circles that you will use for the base and top of the bocconotto. Strip the surrounding dough from around the circles; if you want, use a dough scraper to remove the dough circle.
Take the muffin cup and line it with a circle, fill with cream (in my case) and cover with another circle.
Press gently with your fingertips, sealing the edges. A small dome will be created.
When you have finished preparing the bocconotti, let them rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Beat an egg yolk with a drop of milk. Take the bocconotti out of the fridge and brush the surface with the yolk.
Bake at 350°F in a preheated convection oven for 20 minutes. They should be golden.
Let them cool on a wire rack and then dust with powdered sugar.
Variation
If you prefer, fill the bocconotti with jam, chocolate, Nutella, sour cherry, ricotta, etc.
Storage
You can store the bocconotti for 3 days at room temperature.
