Custard-Filled Shortcrust Pastries (Pasticciotto Leccese)
Pasticciotto leccese Say it: pah-stee-CHOT-toh leh-CHEH-zeh
Pasticciotto leccese is a small oval shortcrust pastry from Salento, especially Galatina, filled with lemon-scented custard. It is eaten warm for breakfast or as a sweet snack, often with coffee, and is prized for the contrast between the tender, golden pastry and the soft, creamy center. The dough is rich but not overly sweet, while the filling is smooth and bright. Its neat oval shape and pale golden top make it one of Puglia’s most recognizable pastries.
Custard-Filled Shortcrust Pastries (Pasticciotto Leccese)
Pasticciotto leccese
Pronounced pah-stee-CHOT-toh leh-CHEH-zeh
- Serves
- 8
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the pastry
For the custard
To finish
Method
In a saucepan, warm the milk with the lemon zest and vanilla over medium heat until steaming; do not let it boil. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and flour until smooth and pale.
Remove the lemon zest from the milk, slowly whisk the hot milk into the yolk mixture, then return everything to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until very thick and a few slow bubbles break the surface, 4–6 minutes.
Scrape the custard into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and cool completely, then chill until firm.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Rub in the cold lard or butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add the egg and bring the dough together, then shape into a disc, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease eight 3½-inch (9 cm) oval molds. Roll the dough on a floured surface to 1/8 inch (3 mm); cut eight 4½ x 3 inch (11 x 7.5 cm) ovals for bases and eight 4 x 2¾ inch (10 x 7 cm) ovals for lids, re-rolling scraps. Line the molds with the larger ovals, pressing gently.
Spoon about 2 tbsp (30 ml) chilled custard into each shell, leaving a ¼-inch (6 mm) border; do not overfill.
Brush the rims with beaten egg, lay the smaller ovals over the filling, press the edges to seal and trim any overhang. Brush the tops with egg wash.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, rotating the tray halfway, until golden brown and the edges are crisp. Cool in the molds for 10 minutes, then lift out and cool on a rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature; the custard should be soft but set and the pastry tender at the edges.
Regional variants
Some Salento bakers flavor the custard with vanilla instead of lemon, and modern versions may add a spoonful of cherry jam or chocolate before sealing.
Cook's notes
- Chill the custard until firm and the dough until cold; warm filling or soft dough will make the pastries leak or lose their shape.
- If you don’t have oval pasticciotto molds, use a muffin tin and cut rounds; the shape will be less traditional but the pastry bakes well.
- Do not overfill: the custard expands slightly and can burst through the seal if the border is too narrow.
Serve with
Espresso or caffè leccese (espresso with almond milk and ice), or a glass of cold milk.
Make ahead and storage
Cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or refrigerate for up to 3 days; reheat at 300°F (150°C) for 5–8 minutes to soften the pastry.
