Alternative names | Pusties |
---|---|
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. In some Italian-American communities, they are called pusties. [1]
Pasticciotti are approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. [2] They are typically served as a breakfast item, but may also be eaten throughout the day, [3] [4] and are a traditional pastry in Apulia. [2] According to a number of sources, pasticciotti should be eaten warm. [3] [5]
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. [4] [6] An egg wash is often applied to the top of each pastry before baking.
Fillings for pasticciotti include the traditional lemon-flavored custard [5] or ricotta, [2] and variant fillings such as almond, chocolate, pistachio or vanilla custard, fruit preserves, gianduja or Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spreads. [3] [4] [6] 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. [7] 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, [6] particularly in the province of Lecce, where the city of Lecce named the pasticciotto its typical cake. [5] [8] 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. [9] Both custard and ricotta fillings can be found in the United States. [2] [10]
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". [4] However, recent studies demonstrate that the Ascalone family was not present in Galatina before 1787. [11]
In southern Apulia, pasticciotti are sold in bakeries, bars, coffee shops and restaurants. [5] [6] They are also commonly available at Italian-American bakeries in the United States, alongside other Italian pastries such as cannoli and sfogliatelle. [12] [13]