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Calcioni
Marchigiani PICONI savory cheese pastries
Piconi II (baked Marchigiani SAVORY Easter pastries using Pecorino and Parmesan)
Originated from: Marche
Occasion: Easter
Contributed by: Mary Melfi (a friend's recipe)

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Ingredients

PICONI SAVORY CHEESE PASTRIES (Version II)+

For the dough
4 cups white flour
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling
5 "large" eggs
1 3/4 cups fresh or fresh Pecorino cheese, grated*
1 1/2 cups Parmesan Reggiano, grated
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Egg wash
2 egg yolks, beaten

*Fresh, semi-ripe, Pecorino cheese has a less sharp taste than the dry one, but as it is difficult to find in North American supermarkets, the regular Pecorino cheese can be used.

+ "Piconi" pastries can be either sweet or savory; for sweet-style "piconi" pastries using ricotta cheese check out the recipe, named, "Piconi I," in the "Calconi" category on this website.



Directions

Making the dough

Make a dough with the ingredients in the usual manner.

Divide the dough into two portions.

Form into two balls and wrap each with plastic wrap.

Let the dough rest in the fridge for about 1 hour.



Making the filling

Make the filling while the dough is resting.

Beat the eggs. Add the black pepper.

Grate the cheeses.

Mix the eggs with the two cheeses.

Keep in fridge until needed.



Making the piconi

Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees.

Process one dough ball at a time (The fresher the dough the easier it will be to seal the pastries).

Using a pasta maker or a rolling pin roll out the dough to about 1/8 of an inch thick.

Using a cookie cutter or an espresso cup saucer cut out a few rounds that about 4 inches in diameter (Processing a few rounds at a time will keep the dough fresh, the fresher the dough, the easier it will be to seal the rounds).

Make a slit or a tiny cross -- about 1 cm long -- on the top half of each round (The opening will allow the air to come out, as well as a bit of the stuffing, this will speed up the baking, as well as make the pastries look a touch more attractive.)

Place about 1 tablespoon of stuffing in the center of each pastry round.

Fold over and seal, either with a fork, one's fingertips or the edge of a pastry wheel cutter (The look of the piconi can be personalized).

Place the piconi on a large baking pan that has been greased or lined with parchment paper.

Brush the tops of the piconi with the beaten egg yolk.

Continue making the piconi until all the dough is used up.

Bake in a preheated 350 F degrees oven until the pastries are a nice golden color and the insides are cooked -- about 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool.

Keep in fridge until needed.

Remove from fridge about 1/2 hour prior to serving; taste best at room temperature.








Notes

Marche's "piconi" seem more or less identical to Molise's famous savory Easter cheese pastries called "fiadoni." Like Molise's "fiadoni," Marche's "piconi" cheese-filled pastries also seem to come in two distinct versions -- the sweet kind and the savory kind. The Italian Wikipedia [from entry on "Ascoli Piceno, Marche] notes: "Infine i Piconi (Ravioli): sono fatti con pasta frolla all'esterno e dentro un impasto di ricotta fresca, cacao amaro e castagne (qualcuno aggiunge un goccio di rum). Semplici e cotti al forno, sono adatti alle colazioni primaverili. Ci sono ovviamente anche i piconi al formaggio, fatti con pecorino fresco e stagionato, consumati come antipasti per il pranzo di Pasqua." In essence it says that that "piconi" (ravioli) are made with shortcrust pastry on the outside and inside of a mixture of ricotta cheese, cocoa and chestnuts (some add a dash of rum). Simple and baked, they are suitable for spring. There are of course also piconi cheese, made with fresh pecorino cheese and seasoned, eaten as appetizers for Easter dinner." It wouldn't come as a surprise if these "piconi" go by different names. Molise's fiadoni go by dozens of different names depending on the area they come from -- could be anything from "fiatoni to "hiatun." They also go by other names, and one of these names is "calcione." Not all "calcione" recipes include cheese, some are made with chickpeas or chestnut puree (as seemingly are piconi). The spelling of the word, "calcione," varies from town to town, they include: "calcione, cacioni, caciu, calcioni, caveciune, caveciuni, cauciune, cauciuni, cauciun', calciume, calciumi, calciune, calciuni, calciuni, caucione, caucioni, caucine, caucini, cavazune and cavazuni." If one wants to find variations on the "piconi" recipe offered in this entry one can investigate the recipes on this website for "fiadone" and cheese-stuffed "calcione" and see if they suit one's taste. Comments and photo: Mary Melfi.

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