Classic Pasticciotto Cake

The pasticciotto cake is a classic sweet from the Puglia tradition, particularly that of Salento. It is a delicious cake filled with custard cream, enclosed in a shell of shortcrust pastry. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

• 500 g of type 00 flour
• 200 g of sugar
• 200 g of cold butter
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 1 lemon (grated zest)
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 packet of baking powder

For the custard cream:

• 500 ml of whole milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 150 g of sugar
• 40 g of type 00 flour
• 1 lemon (grated zest)
• 1 vanilla pod or a teaspoon of vanilla extract

For brushing:

• 1 egg yolk
• A little milk

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the shortcrust pastry: in a large bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder and sugar. Add the cold butter, cut into pieces, and work the mixture with your fingertips until you get a sandy consistency.
2. Add the egg yolks, the whole egg, the grated lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Knead until you get a smooth dough, then wrap it in cling film and let it rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the custard cream: bring the milk to a boil with the lemon zest and vanilla. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, then add the sifted flour.
4. Remove the lemon zest and vanilla pod from the milk, pour it gradually onto the yolk mixture, stirring continuously.
5. Put everything back on the heat and keep stirring until the cream thickens.
6. Remove the cream from the heat and let it cool, covering it with cling film to avoid the formation of a skin on the surface.
7. Take the pastry from the fridge and roll it out into a layer about 5 mm thick. Line the bottom and sides of a previously buttered and floured cake tin.
8. Pour the custard cream inside the pastry shell and level it.
9. With the leftover shortcrust pastry, roll out another layer that will serve as the top of the cake. Seal the edges well and prick the surface with a fork.
10. Brush the surface of the cake with the beaten yolk mixed with a little milk.
11. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 40 minutes or until the surface is golden brown.
12. Allow to cool before serving.

The pasticciotto cake can also be served warm and is perfect to be accompanied by a good coffee or, why not, by a glass of sweet wine such as Passito di Pantelleria.

Curiosity

The pasticciotto was born in the 18th century in a bakery in Galatina, in the province of Lecce. Today it is considered a symbol of Salento’s pastry and is available in many variations, even with the addition of sour cherries or chocolate in the cream.