The mini pastieras in air fryer with oil pastry and chocolate chips are a modern and delicious variant of the classic Neapolitan pastiera. A perfect dessert for those who love tradition but are also curious to experiment with new, quicker, lighter, and more contemporary solutions.
Perfect for Easter breakfast, to enjoy as a snack or as a single-serving dessert at holiday meals, these mini pastieras are easy to make and cook very quickly in the air fryer.
The filling is creamy and fragrant, enriched with chocolate chips that make it even more delicious, while the oil pastry provides lightness and a crumbly texture that perfectly matches air cooking.
The pastiera is one of the most iconic Easter desserts of Southern Italy, particularly of Neapolitan tradition. It is said to have originated in a Neapolitan convent as a symbolic dessert of the Resurrection: the grain for rebirth, the ricotta for purity, eggs as a symbol of life, and orange blossoms to evoke spring.
Over the years, the recipe has evolved into many family variants, each with its little secrets. Today, the pastiera is also reinvented in mini, lighter version, cooked in the air fryer, ideal for those seeking speed, controlled portions, and less waste… without giving up authenticity!
For oven baking at 340°F for 25/30 minutes.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 7 mini pastieras
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
Ingredients for Mini Pastieras in Air Fryer with Oil Pastry and Chocolate:
- 1 oil pastry without butter
- 2.2 oz milk
- 5.3 oz wheat for pastiera
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 lemon zest (or orange)
- to taste ground cinnamon
- 2.8 oz granulated sugar
- 8.8 oz sheep ricotta (or cow)
- 2 medium eggs (at room temperature)
- to taste ground cinnamon
- to taste orange blossom water
- to taste grated lemon or orange zest
- 1.4 oz chocolate chips
- to taste powdered sugar
Tools for Mini Pastieras in Air Fryer with Oil Pastry and Chocolate:
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Pastry Board
- 7 Molds for tarts 4 inches in diameter disposable
- 1 Air Fryer Kasanova
Steps for Preparing and Cooking Mini Pastieras in Air Fryer with Oil Pastry and Chocolate:
In a small saucepan, put the wheat, sugar, and a piece of lemon or orange zest and cook for about 10 minutes on low heat, stirring often, then turn off the heat, remove the lemon or orange zest, and add a sprinkle of cinnamon. Stir well and let cool.
Take a large bowl and add the sheep or cow ricotta (in this case, let it drain well from the whey, even overnight in the fridge), add the granulated sugar and stir well with a spoon until you obtain a cream, then add the two previously lightly beaten eggs, the now cold wheat, ground cinnamon, orange blossom water, and if you want a more intense flavor, add grated lemon or orange zest. Stir well and finally add the chocolate chips, mixing them well into the mixture.
Prepare the oil pastry without butter (following the recipe HERE), roll out a sheet 0.16 inches thick, and cut out 7 discs of 4 inches in diameter, then with the leftover dough make strips for decorating the mini pastieras.
Oil and flour the 7 disposable tart molds and place a dough disc into each mold, making sure it adheres well, even on the sides, add some filling, and cover with two strips.
Place the mini pastieras on the air fryer’s grill (you will need to do a double batch), cook at 320°F for 15/18 minutes, check the cooking after 15 minutes, they should be golden and well-cooked (even if you have an air fryer with only one resistance as we do, the bottom is well cooked as you can see from the photo).
Let the mini pastieras cool, then store them for 3/4 days in the refrigerator. We recommend waiting at least one day before consuming them, so the flavors blend well together. Before serving, sprinkle them with powdered sugar.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What molds can I use?
Ideal ones are disposable aluminum or silicone compatible with the fryer. They should be at least 0.8 inches tall.
Do they preserve as well as the oven-baked ones?
Absolutely yes. Once cooled, they can be stored in the fridge for 3–4 days, or they can be frozen already cooked.
Curiosity: why is it worth trying them like this?
They are lighter: thanks to the oil pastry and the quick cooking
They lend themselves to creative variations: chocolate, nuts, cream
They are also perfect for gifting in Easter cupcake liners
They cook without preheating, ideal also at the last moment!Is it necessary to prick the base?
No, with mini pastieras, there is no need to prick the pastry, because the filling is heavy and compacts the bottom well during cooking.
