Mpanatigghi

Mpanatigghi (Sicilian Beef-Filled Cookies)

A centuries-old Sicilian specialty from the town of Modica, where sweet pastry encases a spiced filling of ground beef, chocolate, almonds and cinnamon. Despite the savory-sounding filling, these half-moon cookies are unmistakably a dessert, traditionally eaten at Easter.

Prep

45 min

Cook

25 min

Total

70 min

Serves

8 (makes about 16 cookies)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (8¾ oz (about 2 cups)) all-purpose flour
• •100 g (3½ oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• •75 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
• •1 whole (1 large) egg, plus 1 yolk for the dough; 1 white for brushing
• •1 whole (1 small) lemon, zest only
• •1 pinch fine salt
• •2 tbsp cold water or dry Marsala wine, Marsala is traditional; use water if you prefer
• •250 g (8¾ oz) ground beef (about 15% fat), beef is traditional; do not substitute veal or pork for an authentic result
• •50 g (1¾ oz) blanched almonds, finely ground
• •50 g (1¾ oz) dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped; traditional Modica-style chocolate is ideal if available
• •60 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar, for the filling
• •1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting
• •1 tsp ground cloves
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) dry Marsala wine, for deglazing the filling

Steps

1. 1 Make the pastry: sift the flour onto a clean surface or into a bowl and make a well in the center. Add the butter, sugar, whole egg, yolk, lemon zest and salt. Work quickly with your fingertips (or pulse in a food processor) until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, then add the cold water or Marsala a little at a time and bring it together into a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.
2. 2 Make the filling: put the ground beef in a cold skillet with no fat and turn the heat to medium. Cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until all the pink has disappeared and any liquid has evaporated, about 8–10 minutes. The beef must reach a safe internal temperature of 71°C / 160°F.
3. 3 Add the sugar, ground almonds, chopped chocolate, cinnamon and cloves to the pan and stir for 1 minute until the chocolate melts and everything comes together into a thick, jam-like paste. Deglaze with the Marsala, cook for another minute until the wine has reduced, then transfer to a bowl and let it cool completely to room temperature.
4. 4 Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about 3 mm / ⅛ inch thick. Cut out rounds about 9–10 cm / 3½–4 inches in diameter (a saucer or large glass works well).
5. 5 Place a heaped teaspoon of the cooled filling in the center of each round. Fold the dough over to make a half-moon and press the edges firmly together, then crimp with the tines of a fork to seal.
6. 6 Arrange the mpanatigghi on a parchment-lined baking tray, brush the tops with the reserved egg white and dust lightly with cinnamon.
7. 7 Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C / 350°F (fan 160°C / 325°F) for 20–25 minutes, until the pastry is pale gold and crisp on the bottom. They should not brown heavily.
8. 8 Cool on a wire rack. Mpanatigghi are traditionally eaten at room temperature, often dusted with a little extra cinnamon or powdered sugar.