Cookbooks
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The Complete Italian Cookbook: Essential Regional Cooking of Italy
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Traditional Sardinian Pardulas Recipe
Traditional Easter dessert from Sardenia: star-shaped tartlets filled with ricotta, saffron and citrus zest
Today I present you with my recipe for pardulas (also known as fomaggelle sarde): a traditional Italian Easter dessert.
Originally from the beautiful region of Sardinia, pardulas are star-shaped tartlets, made with crispy pastry filled with a ricotta cheese mixture, flavored with saffron and zest of oranges (or lemon – your choice).
This typical Sardinian desserts is generally prepared for the Easter holidays, but pardulas are so good that are surely welcomed at the table any time of the year.
This recipe brings all the traditions and flavors typical of the region.
Pardulas are originally made with sheep ricotta cheese which can be really hard to find around here. So in my recipe, I substitute with fresh whole milk ricotta cheese.
To make pardulas, start by preparing the pastry.
All you need is to mix the all-purpose and semolina flour with some water, egg white, a bit of lard (or butter). You can easily mix the dough in the bowl by hand, move to the counter and knead until smooth.
Let the pastry rest while you make the filling.
The filling also comes together very easily.
One important detail to keep in mind: remove as much water as possible from the ricotta cheese. Place on a colander until nice and drained.
Mix the ricotta with an egg yolk, sugar, saffron, orange zest, flour, baking powder and salt.
Make sure not to skip on the saffron. It gives the distinctive flavor that make pardulas special and different.
Working with some of the pastry at a time, roll out using a pasta machine (or by hand with a roller), into a 2 or 3 mm thick sheet.
Cut in circles using a cookie cutter. Mine are about 3 inches in diameter.
Add one spoon full of filling to the middle of the circle. Pinch the edges in six spots like I did to make into a star-shape of pardulas. Repeat with the rest of the pastry and filling.
Brush with milk or egg wash and bake until golden on top. Make sure to turn off the oven and let the pardulas sit in the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes so they won’t deflate when you remove from the oven.
Other Italian dessert recipes you might like:
Ready to try and bake pardulas too?!? Happy Easter weekend everyone.
Traditional Sardinian Pardulas Recipe
Traditional Easter dessert from Sardenia: star-shaped tartlets filled with ricotta, saffron and citrus zest
Servings:
12
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
40 min
Resting Time
20 min
Total Time
1 hr, 20 min
Ingredients
For the outer pastry
- 3/4 cup (100 gr) semolina flour
- 1 cup (125 gr) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lard or butter, softened
- 1 egg white
- 4 oz (120 ml) water, warm
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the filling
- 8.5 oz (250 gr) whole milk fresh ricotta, well drained
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 cup (50 gr) sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon powdered saffron
- 1 orange, zest
- 1/2 cup (60 gr) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon milk (or 1 egg) for brushing
- powdered sugar to decorate
Instructions
- In a cup add the water and dissolve the salt.
- In a large bowl, add the semolina and all-purpose flour and mix
- Add egg white, lard and salted water. Mix in the bowl at first until it comes together. Move to the counter and knead until smooth. Cover with wrap and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix the ricotta well drained. Add the egg yolk and mix.
- Add the sugar, saffron, orange zest, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined.
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
- Using half of the pastry at a time, roll out into a thin sheet (about 2 or 3 mm). You can use a rolling pin or a pasta machine like I did.
- Using a round cookie cutter, cut into circles about 3 inch (8 cm) in diameter.
- Add one spoon full of filling to the middle of the pastry circle. Pinch the edges in six spots like I did to make into a star-shape of pardulas. Repeat with the rest of the pastry and filling.
- Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with milk (or egg wash) and bake in the preheated oven at 350 F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Turn off the oven and leave the pardulas in the oven for 10 more minutes (so the pardulas won’t deflate). Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy!
