Let’s make the meat pies, a typical recipe from Modica’s pastry tradition and Easter tradition: they are traditionally prepared on Holy Saturday.
The Modica pasturieddi are a kind of semolina dough baskets filled with minced meat.
The recipe is my mother’s, who is originally from Modica, adapted for our table: digestible and light Modica meat pies, a traditional recipe with a twist.
Whole semolina and low-fat meat filling based on selected minced meats, mixed beef and pork, lean first cut [if you want an even leaner filling, you can use minced white meat such as chicken or turkey, preferably breast] without milk and with only one egg digestible and light.
I’ll tell you how to prepare traditional Modica meat pies with a more digestible and light recipe without sacrificing the authentic taste.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
The wholemeal dough is slightly more delicate to handle and roll out.
If you’re a beginner, I recommend using re-milled durum wheat semolina.
Alternatively to dry yeast you can use:
• 3 g of fresh yeast;
• 4 g of dried sourdough starter.
* 7 g of dry yeast is equivalent to 25 g of fresh yeast, check the manufacturer’s instructions.
- 2 1/2 cups re-milled durum wheat semolina (or wholemeal)
- 2/3 cup water (slightly sparkling)
- 1 g dry yeast (Mastro Fornaio PANEANGELI)
- 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 5 cups re-milled durum wheat semolina (or wholemeal)
- 1 1/4 cups water (slightly sparkling)
- 1 g dry yeast (Mastro Fornaio PANEANGELI)
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- as needed semolina (for rolling out the dough)
- 2/3 lb mixed minced beef and pork (lean first cut)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (with grinder)
- 1 egg
- 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs (or wholemeal breadcrumbs)
- 4 tablespoons cheese (grated: cacio cavallo or parmesan or grana)
- as needed chopped parsley
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (with grinder)
Suggested Tools
I use a basic mixer but you can easily knead by hand.
- Kitchen Scale
- Mixer and dough hook
- Bowl for proofing with lid
- Cutting Board kneading board
- 1 Pan
- 1 Spatula silicone
- Bowls
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Cookie Cutter 3-4 inches diameter
- 1 Brush silicone
- Baking Tray
- Parchment Paper
Preparation
Dough for Ragusa scacce with yeast
Dissolve the yeast in slightly warm sparkling water.
Pour the semolina or wholemeal semolina and the oil into the mixer’s bowl and start kneading.Gradually add the water with the yeast.
Add the salt halfway through, to avoid direct contact with the yeast.
Knead for about 10 minutes until you get an elastic and firm dough.Form a dough ball, place it in a bowl with a lid or sealed with cling film, and let it rest in a cool, dark place.
After 4 hours, knead the dough briefly and let it rest again.
After about 24 hours, the dough is ready to be rolled out and filled.For the detailed step-by-step procedure you can read the full recipe by clicking the following link: Traditional and Wholemeal Ragusa Scacce Dough.
Dough for Ragusa scacce without yeast
– do not add yeast;
– add a pinch of baking soda.
Knead and let the dough rest for an hour at room temperature.
After an hour at room temperature, your no-yeast dough is ready to be used.Traditionally, in Modica meat pies, the meat is added raw and seasoned before baking.
Alternatively, you can add the meat after a quick browning in a pan.
Heat a pan.
Add the minced meat to the pan, stir and break it up with a silicone spatula.
Quickly brown it.
Add a pinch of salt and grind the pepper.
Transfer the browned meat to a bowl.Wait for the meat to cool and add:
– an egg;
– breadcrumbs or wholemeal breadcrumbs;
– grated cheese;
– chopped parsley;
and mix the ingredients.Briefly knead the dough by hand to regain elasticity.
Use semolina and a good rolling pin to help.
Roll out the dough until you reach a thin thickness of a few mm.
Help yourself by distributing a pinch of semolina on the work surface and the sheet of dough as you roll it.
It’s an alternation of flour, roll, flour, roll, rotate, and so on.Cut out dough discs using bowls or plates, lids, or cookie cutters with a diameter of 3-4 inches.
Distribute the meat filling inside the dough discs leaving the edge free.
Lift the edge, fold it, and pinch it to form the typical open basket shape.Crack an egg and pour it into a bowl.
Add a pinch of salt and grind the pepper.
Beat everything with a fork.Brush the center and edges of the pies with the beaten egg.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and transfer the pies.Set the oven as follows:
– 355°F convection mode;
– 390°F static mode.
Temperature and times may vary from oven to oven and depending on the size of the meat pies.– preheat the oven.
– bake for about 20 minutes in the convection oven and check the cooking.Your digestible and light Modica meat pies are ready.
Delicious hot or cold, but I recommend waiting until they are warm.
Enjoy your meal!
Variations
For the meat pie filling I used selected minced meat, mixed beef and pork, lean first cut [if you want an even leaner filling, you can use minced white meat such as chicken or turkey, preferably breast].
There are numerous variations that include from the use of lamb offal to the addition of rice.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
From a Nutritional Standpoint
From a nutritional standpoint, remember that meat pies are a complete meal.
– before the meat pies, consume a generous portion of raw or cooked vegetables;
– respect your serving sizes.Traditional or Wholemeal Ragusa Scacce Dough
The traditional dough for Ragusa scacce is made with re-milled durum wheat semolina.
Semolina generally has a good glycemic response, but wholemeal semolina remains the recommended choice for those looking for a low glycemic index dough.
For more details on the topic, you can click the following link: Semolina and Flours: Glycemic Index and Type 2 Diabetes.
