Coccoi Prena
Coccoi prena is a traditional Sardinian semolina pastry tart stuffed with mashed potato, pecorino, garlic, and fresh mint, also called coccoi prenas.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Baking sheet
- •Potato masher
- •Rolling pin
- •Mixing bowl
- •Pastry cutter
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 68 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 16 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Boil the unpeeled potatoes in salted water for twenty-five minutes until tender when pierced.
- 2
Drain the potatoes, peel them while warm, and pass them through a potato masher into a bowl.
- 3
Combine the semolina, lukewarm water, lard, and half the salt in a large bowl.
- 4
Knead the dough vigorously for ten minutes until it feels smooth, supple, and elastic.
- 5
Wrap the dough in a damp cloth and rest it at room temperature for thirty minutes.
- 6
Mix the mashed potatoes with the grated pecorino, fresh cheese, chopped mint, grated garlic, remaining salt, and olive oil.
- 7
Roll the rested dough out thinly on a lightly dusted worktop to three millimetres thickness.
- 8
Cut out eight circles measuring roughly twelve centimetres across using a round pastry cutter.
- 9
Place two heaped tablespoons of the potato filling into the centre of each dough disc.
- 10
Pleat and pinch the edges of the pastry upwards around the filling, leaving the top open like a basket.
- 11
Place the tarts onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 200 degrees C for twenty-five minutes until golden.
- 12
Cool the pastries on a wire rack for ten minutes before serving warm.
Chef's tips
Mash the potatoes while they are hot to prevent a gluey texture in the filling. Work the semolina dough firmly so the pleated basket walls hold their upright crown during baking. Adjust the garlic carefully to complement rather than overpower the aromatic fresh mint.
Ingredient substitutions
- Pecorino Sardo → Pecorino Romano or mature Fiore Sardo for a sharper sheep's cheese note
- fresh sheep curd cheese → fresh mild goat curd or well-drained fresh ricotta
- lard → extra virgin olive oil for a fully vegetarian dough
Storage
Store cooled pastries in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat in an oven preheated to 180 degrees C for eight to ten minutes to crisp the crust.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Rolling the dough too thick, which prevents the pleated crust from cooking through evenly.
- •Using waxy potatoes that turn gummy instead of light and fluffy when mashed.
- •Overbaking until the potato filling dries out completely instead of staying tender and creamy.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Coccoi Prena?
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