A ''pasticciotto'' (; : ) is a type of filled Italian pastry. Depending on the region, they are traditionally filled with either ricotta cheese or egg custard. In some Italian-American communities, they are called pusties. ''Pasticciotti'' are approximately thick. They are typically served as a breakfast item, but may also be eaten throughout the day, and are a traditional pastry in Apulia. According to a number of sources, ''pasticciotti'' should be eaten warm.

Composition

Crust

The short-crust pastry dough used to make ''pasticciotti'' was originally shortened with lard, but modern recipes may use butter instead, though this alters the texture of the crust. An egg wash is often applied to the top of each pastry before baking.

Fillings

Fillings for ''pasticciotti'' include the traditional lemon-flavored custard or ricotta, and variant fillings such as almond, chocolate, pistachio or vanilla custard, fruit preserves, '' gianduja'' or Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spreads. An unusual variation filled with ground veal and almonds but topped with sugar, ''pasticciotti di carne'', is a local favorite in the Sicilian town of Patti. ''Pasticciotti di carne'' are similar to the Moroccan '' pastilla'' which also combines a meat filling with a sugar topping. In Italy, custard-filled ''pasticciotti'' are the typical variety in

Apulia it, Pugliese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographic ...

, particularly in the province of Lecce, where the city of

Lecce Lecce ( ); el, label=Griko, Luppìu, script=Latn; la, Lupiae; grc, Λουπίαι, translit=Loupíai), group=pron is a historic city of 95,766 inhabitants (2015) in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Lecce, the province ...

named the ''pasticciotto'' its typical cake. The ricotta filling is more commonly seen in Sicily. In Naples, in southwestern Italy between Apulia and Sicily, custard fillings are common but the ''pasticciotto napoletano'' also includes cherries. Both custard and ricotta fillings can be found in the United States.

History

The invention of ''pasticciotti'' is credited to Andrea Ascalone, a chef in the town of Galatina, near Lecce, who in 1745 used ingredients left over from full-sized

tortas Torta is a culinary term that can, depending on the cuisine, refer to cakes, pies, flatbreads, sandwiches, or omelettes. Usually, it refers to: * cake or pie in South America, much of Europe, and southern Philippines * flatbread in Spain * ...

to create a smaller cake. The name ''pasticciotto'' allegedly comes from Ascalone himself regarding his creation as a ''pasticcio'', or "mishap". However, recent studies demonstrate that the Ascalone family was not present in Galatina before 1787.

Availability

In southern Apulia, ''pasticciotti'' are sold in bakeries, bars, coffee shops and restaurants. They are also commonly available at Italian-American bakeries in the United States, alongside other Italian pastries such as cannoli and ''

sfogliatelle A sfogliatella (, plural: sfogliatelle; nap, sfugliatella), sometimes called a lobster tail in the US, is a shell-shaped filled Italian pastry originating from Campania. ''Sfogliatella'' means "small, thin leaf/layer", as the pastry's texture res ...

''.

References

{{Pastries Cheese dishes Cuisine of Apulia Custard desserts Italian desserts Italian pastries Tarts