Paste di Meliga are traditional cornmeal cookies from the Piedmont region of northern Italy, particularly popular in the provinces of Cuneo and Turin. Their origins date back to rural times when wheat flour was scarce, and locals began incorporating finely ground cornmeal—meliga in the regional dialect—into their baking. This clever adaptation resulted in cookies with a unique crumbly texture and a subtly sweet, buttery flavor. Often flavored with lemon zest or vanilla and sometimes shaped into rings or rosettes, Paste di Meliga were traditionally enjoyed with a glass of wine or zabaione. Over time, they became a symbol of Piedmontese culinary tradition, appreciated for their rustic charm and simple, wholesome ingredients.

These traditional Italian cornmeal cookies, known as "paste di meliga," originate from the Piedmont region of Italy. These delightful treats are made with a mild and crumbly cornmeal shortbread dough, making them a popular choice throughout northern Italy.
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Servings: 36 cookies
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1¼ cups corn flour
  • 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup butter (soften)
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tsp grated lemon zest

Equipment

  • 1 pastry bag
  • 1 star-shaped tip

Method
 

  1. In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and corn flours, mixing them together. Cut the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds using the tip of a knife. Add the vanilla seeds to the flour mixture, followed by the sugar. Lastly, incorporate the softened butter and grated lemon zest into the mixture.
  2. Preheat your oven to a temperature of 350°F (175°C). Then, line a baking tray with parchment paper in preparation for baking the cookies.
  3. Stir all the ingredients together using a spoon or mix them by hand until well combined. Then, add the whole egg and yolk to the mixture. Ensure that the resulting mixture is soft, smooth, and firm, without any lumps. Once the desired consistency is achieved, transfer the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a star-shaped spout for easy piping.
  4. Using the pastry bag, pipe the cookie dough into donut shapes on the prepared baking tray, leaving approximately 2 inches of space between each cookie. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Keep an eye on the cookies during baking to ensure they do not overcook. Once the cookies have turned a golden-brown color, they are ready to be taken out of the oven. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool.