Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Pasticciotto Leccese
A beloved pastry from Lecce in Puglia. A small, oval pie made with a lard-based shortcrust (pasta frolla) and filled with a dense, lemon-scented pastry cream.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 10
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 10 servings
- all-purpose flour
- strutto (pork lard)
- sugar
- egg yolks
- ammonia for baking (baking ammonia) or baking powder
- pastry cream (crema pasticcera, very thick)
- lemon zest
Equipment
- Oval pasticciotto molds
- Oven
Instructions
- 1
Prepare Dough
Mix flour, sugar, and baking ammonia. Work in the lard until crumbly, then bind with egg yolks. Let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
- 2
Prepare Cream
Make a standard Italian pastry cream, flavored heavily with lemon zest, and let it cool completely until very firm.
- 3
Roll Base
Roll out the pasta frolla and line small, oval pasticciotto molds (or muffin tins).
- 4
Fill
Pipe or spoon a generous mound of the thick pastry cream into each lined mold. It should dome slightly above the rim.
- 5
Top Crust
Cut an oval piece of dough to cover the top. Press the edges firmly to seal, forming a slight dome shape.
- 6
Egg Wash
Brush the tops generously with beaten egg yolk for a deep, shiny golden color.
- 7
Bake
Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes until the crust is a rich, dark golden brown.
- 8
Cool
Let them cool in the molds for a few minutes before carefully unmolding.
- 9
Rest
While tempting to eat hot, they are best eaten warm or at room temperature so the cream sets.
- 10
Serve
Serve as a classic breakfast in Lecce alongside an iced coffee with almond milk.
Cooking Tips
- The use of lard (strutto) is essential. It gives the crust a specific friability and flavor that butter cannot replicate.
- Baking ammonia gives a distinctive crispness to the crust. If using baking powder, the texture will be slightly softer.
Variations
- Pasticciotto con Amarena: Adding a single sour cherry or a spoonful of cherry jam into the center of the cream before baking.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Invented in 1745 in the town of Galatina, near Lecce.
Nutrition Estimate
380 calories · 6g protein · 45g carbs · 20g fat · 1g fiber per serving
