Tradition calls for Pusties every holiday season!!! Here at the Joseph Flihan Company we carry several sizes of tart tins, better known here in the Utica area as Pustie Tins!!!! A fantastic recipe to make your own Utica Pastaciotti or PUSTIES

Chocolate Filling:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sweet cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup water

Directions: Blend together the milk and water. Mix the dry ingredients in the top of a double boiler. Add liquid gradually to prevent lumps. Cook until thickened. Allow to cool.

Vanilla Filling:

3 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1/2 cup flour

Directions: Mix flour and sugar in a double boiler. Slowly add milk and mix thoroughly. Cook until thickened. Add a small amount of the heated mix to the beaten yolks then add the yolks to the pudding mixture. Cook one minute longer.

Crust:

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 TBS granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 beaten eggs

Crust Directions: Blend the dry ingredients and then the shortening. Add the eggs. Roll out dough in between waxed paper. *It might be sticky, although mine turned out a bit dry (I reduced the shortening amount). Cut out circles to fit tart pans. Pat cut outs into tins on the bottom and up sides of the well greased tins. Fill 3/4 full with your choice of the vanilla or chocolate puddings. Cover with a dough round and seal around the sides. Put a “pimple” of dough in the middle of each lid for the vanilla filled pusties. Brush with a beaten egg. Bake at 400 F until golden, about 18 -20 minutes.