The paste di meliga are typical Piedmontese shortbread cookies, traditional biscuits made with a mixture of cornmeal and wheat flour that gives them a unique, slightly rustic texture. They stand out for their extraordinary crumbly texture and the characteristic ring shape, achieved by piping the soft dough with a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Perfect to enjoy at any time of the day, they keep quite well for about 1-2 weeks in an airtight container, preserving their scent and crispness. To make them you will need:
Other cookie recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: for about 25 cookies
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp (250 g) butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (200 g) finely ground cornmeal (fioretto)
- 1 2/3 cups (200 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- vanilla extract
- grated zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1 pinch salt
Preparation
Start by placing the softened butter in a large bowl, add the sugar and work the mixture until you obtain a smooth, pale and well-whipped cream.
Continue by incorporating the whole egg and the yolk, mixing thoroughly so they are fully absorbed and you obtain a homogeneous consistency.
Add the vanilla extract and the grated lemon zest. Sift the all-purpose flour and add the cornmeal, then gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, stirring first with a spatula and then working until you have a soft, compact and slightly grainy dough.
Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe ring-shaped cookies directly onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between each cookie so they don’t stick together during baking.
Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and let the dough rest for about 1 hour so the butter firms up and the cookies keep their shape better.
Preheat the oven to 356°F (conventional, no fan), bake the cookies for about 12–15 minutes. Remove them from the oven when they are well golden.
Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet or on a rack. The paste di meliga are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon appétit and… see you next recipe!
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