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Pasticciotti Leccesi are traditional sweet pastries from Puglia. They’re made with sweet and crumbly shortcrust pastry and filled with vanilla pastry cream and Amarena cherries. Enjoy them for breakfast alongside a cappuccino or serve them as a sweet treat any time of the day!
Pasticciotti Leccesi are the most delicious oval-shaped pastries from Salento in the province of Lecce in Puglia.
They’re made with crumbly shortcrust pastry known as Pasta Frolla and filled with a classic Crema Pasticcera (pastry cream).
There are two classic versions, one, filled only with pastry cream and one filled with pastry cream and amarena cherries which is my absolute favourite. There’s something about the vanilla cream, cherries and buttery pastry that just tastes irresistible.
They’re traditionally served alongside a cappuccino for breakfast but they are delicious any time of day and honestly, it’s hard to stop at just one.
See the recipe below including notes on ingredients, step-by-step photos, tips, variations and a video tutorial. For the full printable recipe scroll to the bottom or click the recipe link below.
Ingredients
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Pin ItFor the pastry
The photo above shows everything you need to make classic sweet shortcrust pastry (Pasta Frolla) although we need a double batch to make our Pasticciotti.
The ingredients are super simple, everyday store cupboard ingredients; flour, sugar, butter, eggs, salt and baking powder.
- Note on flour – we use Italian 00 flour but all-purpose flour can be used and will work just as well.
- Butter – you must use unsalted cold butter straight from the fridge.
For the filling
The filling is a classic vanilla pastry cream (Crema Pasticcera). You can opt to add lemon if you like but we love it just as it is. See some notes on the filling ingredients below.
- Whole milk – whole or full-fat milk will give the best flavour and will ensure a nice thick and creamy custard.
- Amarena cherries – Italian cherries in syrup, they’re absolutely delicious and easy to find online or in Italian food stores. If you can’t find them you can’t just leave them out.
- Pasticciotti molds – if you don’t have these then you can use mini tart cases instead. We’ve tried making these in a muffin tin but it’s really difficult to seal the Pasticciotti so don’t recommend using one.
Step by step recipe photos
To make the pastry cream
Heat the milk and vanilla in a saucepan until simmering then turn off the heat.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until combined then add the cornstarch. Once combined, slowly add the milk a little at a time whilst whisking until fully incorporated (photos 1-4).
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place on a medium-low heat. Using a wooden spoon stir the mixture slowly until it thickens enough to cover the back of the wooden spoon. If lumps start to appear turn the heat down and use a whisk to get rid of them (photos 5-8).
Note: if the mixture is taking too long to thicken then the heat is too low so just turn it up.
Once thickened pour the pastry cream into a bowl and place plastic wrap directly over the top to prevent a skin from forming.
Make the pastry (pasta frolla)
Add the flour into a large bowl then add the rest of the dry ingredients (sugar, baking powder and salt), stir to combine.
Add the butter and crumb it into the flour to resemble rough breadcrumbs. Add the eggs and mix to a rough dough (photos 9-12).
Start to bring the mixture together with your hands to form a dough. Knead the pastry until all the flour is fully absorbed and it becomes a smooth ball. Cut the dough in half then wrap each half in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour (photos 13 & 14).
To assemble
Bring the pastry out about 20-30 minutes before using so it’s easier to roll out otherwise it’ll be too cold and stiff. Grease the Pasticciotti molds or tart tins with butter and lightly dust them in flour (photos 15 & 16).
When ready roll half of the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface until rough 1/2cm (¼ inch) thick. Cut the pastry to fit the molds or tart tins and trim the edges (photos 17-19).
Fill each one with pastry cream so it’s just below the top and top each one with 2 amarena cherries (photo 20).
Roll out the rest of the pastry to the same thickness and cut out lids for each pasticciotto, lightly press the edges together and trim the excess pastry (photos 21 & 22).
Place the pasticciotti in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or longer. When ready to bake pre-heat the oven to 180C (350F).
To bake
Bring the pastries out of the fridge. Mix the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of milk and brush the top of each pastry (photo 23).
Place them on a tray and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let them cool before serving (photo24).
Different flavour variations to try
Once you’ve tried making traditional Pasticciotti why not try different flavour variations and fillings.
You can opt to swap the traditional pastry for our chocolate shortcrust pastry instead.
You can fill these delicious pastries with Chocolate Pastry Cream (which is super easy to make and utterly delicious). You could also try filling them with Homemade Nutella, Pistachio Cream (try mixing pastry cream with pistachio cream it’s so good).
You can also try flavouring the vanilla or chocolate pastry cream with citrus like orange zest.
Top tips for making Pasticciotti
- Prep in advance – you can make the pastry cream and pastry up to 2 days in advance so assembling the Pasticciotti is easy.
- No cherries? Don’t worry if you can’t find Amarena cherries you can leave them out.
- Use a kitchen scale – Whenever baking with flour I highly recommend using a kitchen scale rather than cups as they are just not accurate enough when it comes to flour.
- Use cold butter – it’s really important to use cold butter straight from the fridge.
- Don’t over-knead – shortcrust pastry is a crumbly dough so don’t be tempted to over-knead it which will make it tough when baked. Just make sure you bring the dough together and no more.
Recipe FAQs
We make our pastry cream multiple times a month and it never fails. One reason your custard may not be thickening is simply because the heat is too low. Turn the heat up but keep stirring or whisking the custard so no lumps form and it’ll thicken up quickly.
Once baked the Pasticciotti will keep well at room temperature for 1 day or can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I don’t recommend freezing the Pasticciotti as the pastry cream can split. It will also lose its silky creamy texture.
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Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes come with step by step photos, helpful tips and tricks to make it perfectly first time and even video!
Pasticciotti Leccesi
Equipment
- Oval Pasticciotti moulds or mini tart tins (we used 10x7cm (4×2.75 inch) oval moulds)
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 4 cups Italian 00 flour, (500g) can also use all-purpose
- 1 cup white caster sugar (superfine sugar), (160g)
- 2 sticks plus 1 tablespoon cold butter, (240g)
- 1 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
For the filling
- 5 egg yolks
- ⅓ cup sugar, (70g)
- ¼ cup cornstarch, (30g)
- 2.5 cups whole milk, (590ml)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1 vanilla pod, can also use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 24 Amarena cherries
Brushing on top
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Make the pastry cream
- Heat the milk and vanilla in a saucepan until simmering then turn off the heat.
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until combined then add the cornstarch. Once combined, slowly add the milk a little at a time whilst whisking until fully incorporated.
- Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place on a medium-low heat. Using a wooden spoon stir the mixture slowly until it thickens enough to cover the back of the wooden spoon. If lumps start to appear turn the heat down and use a whisk to get rid of them.
- Note: if the mixture is taking too long to thicken then the heat is too low so just turn it up.
- Once thickened pour the pastry cream into a bowl and place plastic wrap directly over the top to prevent a skin from forming.
Make the pastry (pasta frolla)
- Add the flour into a large bowl then add the rest of the dry ingredients (sugar, baking powder and salt), stir to combine.
- Add the butter and crumb it into the flour to resemble rough breadcrumbs. Add the eggs and mix to a rough dough.
- Start to bring the mixture together with your hands to form a dough. Knead the pastry until all the flour is fully absorbed and it becomes a smooth ball. Cut the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes-1 hour.
To assemble
- Bring the pastry out about 20-30 minutes before using so it’s easier to roll out otherwise it’ll be too cold and stiff. Grease the Pasticciotti molds or tart tins with butter and lightly dust them in flour.
- When ready roll half of the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface until rough 1/2cm (¼ inch) thick. Cut the pastry to fit the molds or tart tins and trim the edges (see photos or video for reference).
- Fill each one with pastry cream so it’s just below the top and top each one with 2 amarena cherries.
- Roll out the rest of the pastry to the same thickness and cut out lids for each pasticciotto, lightly press the edges together and trim the excess pastry.
Bake
- Place the pasticciotti in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or longer. When ready to bake pre-heat the oven to 180C (350F).
- Bring the pastries out of the fridge. Mix the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of milk and brush the top of each pastry.
- Place them on a tray and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let them cool before serving.
Video
Notes
- Prep in advance – you can make the pastry cream and shortcrust pastry up to 2 days in advance so all you have to do is assemble the Pasticciotti.
- No cherries? Don’t worry if you can’t find Amarena cherries you can leave them out.
- If your pastry cream isn’t thickening – this will happen if the heat is too low. Turn the heat up to medium whilst constantly stirring or whisking to avoid any lumps from forming and your pastry cream will thicken quickly.
- Storage – Pasticciotti will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What is the size of the pasticciotta mold for this recipe? I am seeing a wide variety of sizes online so I want to buy the right dimensions.
Hi Julie, the oval moulds are 10cm (4 inches) long and 7cm (2.75 inch) wide 🙂
I get these at a local Italian bakery. They are my favorite. I’m going to try this recipe with a bit of lemon zest as the bakery ones have a slight lemon flavor. Also they are round. They come in vanilla and chocolate. Wish me luck.
Yum! Had these in Lecce when we visited in April. Great stuff!