Pasticciotto
 Ricotta-filled pasticciotto | |
| Type | Pastry |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Apulia |
| Created by | Andrea Ascalone |
| Serving temperature | Warm |
| Variations | Various fillings |
A pasticciotto (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]
Composition
[edit]
Crust
[edit]The short-crust pastry dough used to make pasticciotti was originally shortened with lard, but modern recipes may use butter instead, although this alters the texture of the crust.[3][5] An egg wash is often applied to the top of each pastry before baking.
Fillings
[edit]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, gianduja or Nutella 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 comune (municipality) 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]
History
[edit]The invention of pasticciotti is credited to Andrea Ascalone, a chef in the comune 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]
Availability
[edit]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]
See also
[edit]
Media related to Pasticciotti at Wikimedia Commons
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Lombardo, Calogero (2002). Altavilla, Sicily: Memories of a Happy Childhood. Legas Publishing. pp. 147–8. ISBN 978-1-881901-36-5.
- ^ a b c Massa-Langlois, Grace (2012). Grace's Sweet Life: Homemade Italian Desserts from Cannoli, Tiramisu, and Panna Cotta to Torte, Pizzelle, and Struffoli. Ulysses Press. p. 126. ISBN 978-1-61243-024-9.
- ^ a b c d Bieder, Daniela (8 September 2015). "Pasticciotto – well invested calories". Wall Street International. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
- ^ a b c d Ersetti, Dario. "Pasticciotto, a delight from Salento". BridgePugliaUSA.it. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
- ^ a b c d Socratous, Georgie. "Mini Pasticciotto". Jamie Magazine. Jamie Oliver. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
- ^ "Patti". PattiTindari.com (in Italian). Retrieved 10 October 2015.
- ^ "Pasticciotto Recipe". Pizzacappuccino. 2021-10-16. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ^ Terti, Luca (2014). Le torte più buone – I segreti del pasticciere: Dolci semplici e veloci, come in pasticceria. eCucina. p. 76. ASIN B00NUHITUS.
- ^ Browne, Rick (2013). A Century of Restaurants: Stories and Recipes from 100 of America's Most Historic and Successful Restaurants. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. PT641. ISBN 978-1-4494-0783-4.
- ^ Il filo di Aracne (The Spider's Web), year XIII - N° 4, October-December 2018 – "Storia della pasticceria a Galatina: tra ‘700 e ‘800" ("History of Pastry in Galatina in the 18th and 19th Centuries"), by Alessandro Massaro.
- ^ Klimovich Harrop, JoAnne (29 July 2014). "Satisfy your sweet tooth in Pittsburgh with treats from ethnic bakeries". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
