 Ricotta-filledpasticciotto | |
| Type | Pastry |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Apulia |
| Created by | Andrea Ascalone |
| Serving temperature | Warm |
| Variations | Various fillings |
Pasticciotto (Italian:[pastitˈtʃɔtto];pl.:pasticciotti) is a type of filledItalianpastry. Depending on the region, they are traditionally filled with eitherricotta cheese oregg custard.
Pasticciotti are approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.[1] They are typically served as a breakfast item, but may also be eaten throughout the day,[2][3] and are a traditional pastry inApulia.[1] According to a number of sources,pasticciotti should be eaten warm.[2][4]
Theshort-crust pastry dough used to makepasticciotti was originally shortened with lard, but modern recipes may use butter instead, although this alters the texture of the crust.[3][5] Anegg wash is often applied to the top of each pastry before baking.
Fillings forpasticciotti include the traditional lemon-flavored custard[4] or ricotta,[1] and variant fillings such as almond, chocolate, pistachio or vanilla custard, fruit preserves,gianduja orNutella chocolate-hazelnut spreads.[2][3][5] An unusual variation filled with ground veal and almonds but topped with sugar,pasticciotti di carne, is a local favorite in the Siciliancomune (municipality) ofPatti.[6]Pasticciotti di carne are similar to the Moroccanpastilla which also combines a meat filling with a sugar topping. In Italy, custard-filledpasticciotti are the typical variety inApulia,[5] particularly in theprovince of Lecce, where the city ofLecce named thepasticciotto its typical cake.[4][7] The ricotta filling is more commonly seen inSicily. InNaples, in southwestern Italy between Apulia and Sicily, custard fillings are common but thepasticciotto napoletano also includes cherries.[8] Both custard and ricotta fillings can be found in the United States.[1][9]
The invention ofpasticciotti is credited to Andrea Ascalone, a chef in thecomune ofGalatina, near Lecce, who in 1745 used ingredients left over from full-sizedtortas to create a smaller cake. The namepasticciotto allegedly comes from Ascalone himself regarding his creation as apasticcio, or "mishap".[3]However, recent studies demonstrate that the Ascalone family was not present in Galatina before 1787.[10]
In southern Apulia,pasticciotti are sold in bakeries, bars, coffee shops and restaurants.[4][5] They are also commonly available at Italian-American bakeries in the United States, alongside other Italian pastries such ascannoli andsfogliatelle.[11]
Media related toPasticciotti at Wikimedia Commons
