Tray with freshly baked pasticciotti leccesi

The authentic Lecce-style pasticciotto

06/03/2024

Sinking your teeth into its fragrant shortcrust pastry to reach the rich and creamy custard is a heavenly experience hard to forget. We're talking about the "pasticciotto", the dessert that has been synonymous with Salento for almost 300 years: no vacation in the Salento peninsula can be considered complete without tasting this little treasure of goodness at least once!

The pasticciotto recipe

If, alas, you don't have the opportunity to go to Salento and enjoy this delightful dessert in its place of origin, you can still get in the kitchen and prepare it directly at home with the recipe from our Cesarina Francesca.

Lecce-style pasticciotto

A small treasure of shortcrust pastry with a soft heart: impossible to resist!

DifficultyEasy

Preparation time40m

Cooking time30m

€

CostLow

Ingredients

Quantities for approximately 10 pieces
Ingredients for the shortcrust pastry shell:
500 g of all-purpose flour
250 g of lard or butter
250 g of granulated sugar
2 medium whole eggs
A pinch of baking ammonia
Vanilla or lemon to taste
Ingredients for the custard cream:
100 g of whole eggs (egg yolks)
100 g of granulated sugar
32 g of rice starch
32 g of cornstarch
500 ml of whole fresh milk
Vanilla or lemon to taste
For brushing:
A little lightly beaten egg white

Method

Method for the shortcrust pastry:

In a stand mixer (or in a bowl), combine the sugar with the flour; then add the softened lard (or butter) and preferred flavors; finally, add the eggs, one at a time.
Shape into a log, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for at least 4 hours (overnight would be preferable).

Method for the custard cream:

Heat the milk in a saucepan without bringing it to a boil.
In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar and flavors; then add the flours; finally, pour the entire mixture into the milk and stir vigorously.
As soon as bubbles begin to appear on the surface, turn off the heat and continue stirring. Caution: the cream should never boil!
The two flours can be replaced with all-purpose flour or rice flour; in the latter case, you will obtain a very delicate and velvety cream.
Transfer the cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap (which must be in contact with the cream), and refrigerate to cool as quickly as possible.

Method for making the "pasticciotto" (pastry):

Once the resting time has passed, take out the shortcrust pastry log from the fridge and slice it (obtaining disks). The number of disks should be double the number of molds available (for example, if you have 6 molds, prepare 12 disks).
On a floured surface, roll out half of the shortcrust pastry disks and line the molds (which do not need to be greased).
Fill with plenty of custard cream (a dome should form).
Roll out the remaining disks and use them to seal the "pasticciotti," making sure to seal the edges well.
Brush with beaten egg white.
Bake in a static oven at 180°C for about 30 minutes.

Smart tip:

If you don't have the appropriate molds, you can make a "torta pasticciotto" (pasticciotto cake) using the same dough and procedure, lining a cake pan instead. This cake is very popular here in Salento, within families, because it is quicker to prepare and, especially during large meals with company, it allows everyone to be satisfied simply by doubling the quantities.

Francesca

The origins of the "pasticciotto leccese"

These ovoid-shaped sweets prepared in special copper molds were born almost by chance in 1745 in Galatina, in the province of Lecce. It seems that the Salento pastry chef Andrea Ascalone invented them. The story goes that Ascalone's pastry shop was not doing well due to various debts he had incurred. So, in an attempt to improve the fate of his business, Ascalone spent his days in the pastry laboratory experimenting with new recipes. One day he found himself with custard and scraps of shortcrust pastry from previous preparations: those leftovers were not enough to make another cake, however, instead of throwing them away, he decided to combine them in small molds to make small cakes. However the result was below expectations, in short - a mess (“pasticcio”, in Italian), and Ascalone decided to get rid of those improvised sweets by donating them to Don Silvestro, the parish priest of the village, who visited the pastry chef every morning.

Ingredients for the pasticciotto: eggs, butter, and flour

But that encounter with Don Silvestro was the turning point for the fate of the pastry shop: astonished by the goodness of those kind of tartlets filled with cream, the priest became, as we would say today, the best promoter of the new creation. And since in small towns rumors spread quickly, soon the pasticciotti were on everyone's lips (and in their mouths).

Even today, the Ascalone family passes down from generation to generation the original recipe (which, mind you, includes lard and not butter to knead the shortcrust pastry), so if you find yourself in Lecce, go for a walk in their shop in Galatina, where you can taste what seems to be the best pasticciotto in the world.

The success of the pasticciotto is far from fading: today the city of Lecce has recognized it as a typical dessert and it is included in the national list of traditional agri-food products drawn up by the "Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies".

Preparation of the cream with a whisk

Variants of the pasticciotto

As happens with all successful dishes, over time variants have been invented that differ from the original version while maintaining its main characteristic: deliciousness! The most well-known variant is the Neapolitan pasticciotto, which combines custard with sour cherries. But there are many other options: with ricotta and pistachios, chocolate, with gianduia cream, or with jam. The choice is yours!

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