In the vast panorama of Italian cuisine, rich in millenary traditions and dishes that tell ancient stories, the macaroni pie, also known as Pastiss, stands as a culinary work that expertly combines sweet and savory. Consisting of several layers of pasta (usually macaroni), meat, cheese and a rich shortcrust pastry crust, the main ingredients they are: pigeons, dried mushrooms, onion, white wine, tomato sauce and parmesan cheese, enriched with spices such as bay leaves, pepper and nutmeg.
Origins and history of macaroni pie
The macaroni pie has its roots in Renaissance Italian, an era in which the table was a true work of art and gastronomy an expression of luxury and refinement. In the noble courts of those times, the pasticcio represented the pinnacle of culinary mastery, a dish that expertly combined high quality ingredients and a scenographic presentation.
One of the most fascinating curiosities concerns the rite of "belief", a widespread practice in that era. Before being served to noble guests, all dishes, including those such as macaroni pie that required days of preparation, had to pass a rigorous inspection. A court taster, a trusted figure in charge, tested the foods to ensure they were safe and free of contamination. Only after this step was the food considered suitable to be presented at the table of the nobles, underlining the commitment and dedication in preparing the meals.
Despite the evolution of tastes and culinary trends over the centuries, macaroni pie continues to be a loved and celebrated dish in Piacenza kitchens. Despite suffering some changes over time. For example, if tomato sauce was not present in the original recipes, this was added later, during the nineteenth century. However, even today, many prefer to prepare the pasticcio without this ingredient, thus respecting the historical roots of the dish.
Piacenza macaroni pie recipe
The Academy of Piacentina Cuisine, founded in 1963, is dedicated to promoting the local culinary tradition. Here she is for successful corporate training of the truth Pastiss.
Ingredients for 6 people)
For the pastry:
- 4 kg of white flour
- 2 ½ hg of butter (50 grams)
- 2 hg of sugar
- 1 egg
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 shot of brandy
For the stuffing:
- 2 pigeons
- ½ hg of dried mushrooms
- ½ hg of butter
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 onion
- ½ glass of white wine
- 2 spoons of tomato sauce
- 1 hg of grated parmesan cheese (100 grams)
- 400 grams of pasta (half sleeves)
- Salt and pepper
- nutmeg
- A couple of ladles of meat broth
Preparation
La preparazione of the macaroni pie requires patience and a certain culinary mastery.
Start by browning the finely chopped onion in ½ hg of butter. Add the pigeons cut into small pieces and brown them over a low heat together with the white wine, bay leaves and a little broth. Add the tomato sauce, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and leave to cook for about 15-20 minutes. At this point add the mushrooms previously soaked in warm water and leave to cook for another 20 minutes over low heat. Prepare the shortcrust pastry following the doses and ingredients indicated and let it rest for 15 minutes. Move on to the pasta: cook the mezzeniche al dente in lightly salted water, once drained, pour them into the pigeon sauce, adding the grated cheese. Butter a timbale shape and line it with the rolled out shortcrust pastry, leaving aside a disc for the lid. Fill the shape with the seasoned macaroni and cover with the shortcrust pastry disc, sealing it at the edges. Bake at 180°C until the shortcrust pastry is golden, about 20 minutes.
