Pasticciotto
Ingredients
- Shortcrust: 400 g flour, 160 g sugar, 200 g cold butter or lard, 1 egg plus 2 yolks, zest of 1 lemon, pinch of baking powder and salt
- Custard: 500 ml milk, 4 egg yolks, 120 g sugar, 40 g flour, vanilla
- 1 egg yolk, for egg wash
A specialty of Lecce in Puglia, the pasticciotto pairs a shortcrust shell traditionally made with lard (pasta frolla) with a dense, rich vanilla pastry cream filling. Baked in small oval molds until golden, it's classically eaten warm, straight from the bakery, for breakfast.
Method
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and salt; rub in the cold butter or lard until crumbly.
Add the egg and yolks and bring together into a dough; wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Make the pastry cream by heating milk with vanilla, whisking egg yolks with sugar and flour, tempering with the hot milk, and cooking until thickened; cool.
Roll out most of the dough and line small oval molds, pressing it up the sides.
Fill each shell with the cooled pastry cream, leaving a small border.
Roll the remaining dough thin and cut lids to cover each pastry, sealing the edges well.
Brush with egg yolk and bake at 180-200°C (350-400°F) for 18-22 minutes until deep golden.
Let cool briefly before unmolding; best served still warm.
