Ricotta-filled pasticciotto
| |
| Type | Pastry |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Apulia |
| Created by | Andrea Ascalone |
| Serving temperature | Warm |
| Variations | Various fillings |
Apasticciotto (Italian: [pastitˈtʃɔtto]; pl.: pasticciotti) is a type of filled Italian pastry. Depending on the region, they are traditionally filled with either ricotta cheese or egg 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 in Apulia.[1] According to a number of sources, pasticciotti should be eaten warm.[2][4]
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.[3][5]Anegg wash is often applied to the top of each pastry before baking.
Fillings for pasticciotti include the traditional lemon-flavored custard[4] or ricotta,[1] and variant fillings such as almond, chocolate, pistachio or vanilla custard, fruit preserves, giandujaorNutella 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 Sicilian town of Patti.[6] 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,[5] particularly in the province of Lecce, where the city of Lecce named the pasticciotto its typical cake.[4][7] 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.[8] Both custard and ricotta fillings can be found in the United States.[1][9]
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 to create a smaller cake. The name pasticciotto allegedly comes from Ascalone himself regarding his creation as a pasticcio, 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 as cannoli and sfogliatelle.[11][12]
