Pasticciotto is a small, oval shaped pastry made from short pastry and filled with crema pasticcera or ricotta. It was brought to my attention by a friend who is besotted with them. They come from Puglia, so while there we investigated.
We found the first pasticciotti in Locorotondo.
More in Cisternino.
They were first made in Galatina, a Baroque town 20 kilometres south of Lecce. I have read a few stories about their beginning, but the one that makes the most sense is that Nicola Ascalone in 1875 used his left over pastry and crema paticcera to make a mini pastry. It became popular and the pasticceria that has his name is still making them today.
On the way to Otranto from Ostuni we called in to Galatina. It was a rare fine day when we parked our car beside a green park.
The large piazza dominated by a huge Baroque church marked the entrance to the Centro Storico.
Via Vittorio Emanuele is on the right side of the piazza and it was a short walk to Pasticceria Ascalone at number 17.
The pasticceria is tiny and we could not see any pasticciotto in the window.
The shop was busy and we had a nervous wait…what if they had sold out?
Finally it was our turn. They are supposed to be eaten warm and 2 warm, crema filled pasticciotti were bought from the kitchen for us.
We can report that they were delicious.
Mission accomplished we took a short walk through Galatina. It is a pretty town dotted with Baroque style buildings in the narrow streets.
We left via one of the old portals.
If you are nearby it is worth stopping for a delicious piece of Galatina history.
This bright green pistacchio pasticciotto, which tasted better than it looked, was found in Lecce.
This one was part of breakfast at our hotel in Lecce.
When we were in Matera we visited a lovely bar for breakfast. As I was ordering coffee I spotted pasticciotti on a tray. We ordered 2 and they were excellent, possibly our favourite pasticciotti.
I complimented the man behind the bar who told us he made them fresh every morning. The pastry was deliciously crumbly and the crema filling also had a little cherry jam….I want one now.
I wonder if they have found their way to the north of Italy.
I am afraid that the Pasticciotti belongs to the south, particularly to Lecce and Puglia, although you can also find them in the Amalfi coast. We could have a Tuscan variety with a chestnut cream filling….
By: Mulino Dominillo on May 24, 2019
at 8:04 pm
I found some photos I took at FICO in Bologna and there was a pasticciotto stand there, representing the south, but I have not seen them elsewhere.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 25, 2019
at 4:13 am
WOW, you certainly did a lot of investigating! Good work.
By: Gabrielle on May 24, 2019
at 9:31 pm
Once we started looking they popped up everywhere.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 25, 2019
at 4:13 am
I may have to replace my favourite sforliatelle if it can be found – looks great enjoy Helen
By: Helen Close on May 24, 2019
at 10:00 pm
I think Annalisa has given up on the sfogliatelle at Bar Italia. I haven’t seen them for a while. You can always go to Marchetti in Brisbane for one of those and my friend might just bring pasticciotti to Brisbane.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 25, 2019
at 4:15 am
Looks delish –
By: Elizabeth Valerie Litzow on May 25, 2019
at 12:33 am
They were.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 25, 2019
at 4:15 am
We’ve never visited Galatina and I had no clue that that’s where pasticciotto originated. Planning a visit asap. Thanks for sharing this vital info!
By: orna2013 on May 25, 2019
at 6:32 am
You must go! It is a pretty town and the pasticceria is an experience. Pasticciotti are delicious.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 25, 2019
at 6:54 am
Oh my – these look wonderful. … and the town looks good, too.
By: aFrankAngle on May 25, 2019
at 11:51 am
We enjoyed our pasticciotto search.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 26, 2019
at 4:17 am
Ooh I love hunts like this where you get to find the best pastry or cake or other regional specialty!
By: Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella on May 26, 2019
at 4:54 am
Ohhh – i think i would have taken a short walk, in a circle outside the door, and back in again! I love pastries with ricotta and they sound fabulous, just warm from the kitchen, ohhh! And what an attractive town.
By: Jan on May 28, 2019
at 5:18 am
What a great post! This is the kind of hunt I can participate in!!!
By: chef mimi on June 5, 2019
at 8:16 pm