Welcome to A Locanda Tù Marchese, our urban farmhouse in the heart of Matino, where the ancient culinary traditions of Salento come to life through the hands of our guests. Among the undisputed stars of our artisan pastry workshops are two icons of Puglian gastronomy: pasticciotto leccese and its "different twin", fruttone.
If you've taken part in our Pasticciotto and Fruttone at the Masseria workshop, or want to recreate these masterpieces at home, on this page you'll find the history, the curiosities and our unmistakable step-by-step method.
History, origins and curiosities: two faces of Salento
Where and when were they invented?
- Pasticciotto: tradition places its birth in 1745 in Galatina, in the shop of pastry chef Nicola Ascalone. Left with leftover shortcrust pastry and custard cream, he decided to assemble a "pasticcio" (mess) in a small copper mould. Baking it and tasting it still warm, he discovered its extraordinary goodness.
- Fruttone (or barchiglia): considered pasticciotto's twin, it has its roots in Salento's baroque and convent tradition. It was created to make the most of long-lasting ingredients, such as toasted almonds and fruit preserves, becoming the perfect pastry for grand occasions.
Why the typical oval shape?
The oval, concave shape — domed for pasticciotto, flat for fruttone — comes from the old copper and aluminium moulds. This structure guarantees even baking and lets the pastry hold the filling without cracking, creating a perfect balance between the crisp shell and the soft heart.
The key differences
- Pasticciotto is best eaten warm. Its custard-cream filling calls for a pastry that keeps the inside moist, closed by the typical golden "dome" on top.
- Fruttone is enjoyed at room temperature. Its filling of almond paste and sour cherry jam is sealed on top with a dark chocolate glaze, which provides a contrast in flavour and acts as a natural protection, keeping it soft for days.
Tips and secrets for our guests
Lard is king. True Salentine shortcrust pastry doesn't use butter, but lard. This ingredient gives an unbeatable crumbliness and stops the pastry from turning soggy when it meets the creams.
Fruttone goes upside down. Unlike pasticciotto, as soon as it comes out of the oven the fruttone is cooled upside down. This trick creates a flat, perfect surface to pour the dark chocolate over!
The golden touch. To get pasticciotto's classic glossy, golden finish, the secret is to brush the dome with a beaten egg yolk and a splash of milk before baking.
Useful equipment
Typical oval metal moulds, an electric hob and saucepan/pan, a cutter or chopping board with a large knife (for chocolate and almonds), whisks and a silicone spatula, a citrus squeezer and grater, bowls, cups and plates, a pastry brush, small forks (for pricking the pastry), a sieve, a pastry ruler and plastic wrap.
The workshop recipe: pasticciotto and fruttone
During our experiences, we prepare both pastries working in parallel. Here are the quantities and our step-by-step method.
The ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry (base for both):
- 300 g flour
- 100–120 g sugar
- 150 g lard (softened to a paste)
- 1 sachet baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 sachet vanilla
- Grated lemon zest
- A pinch of salt
For the custard cream (pasticciotto filling):
- 500 ml milk
- 120 g sugar
- 50 g flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 sachet vanilla
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
For the fruttone filling:
- 300 g peeled, toasted and chopped almonds
- 200 g sugar
- 2 eggs (yolks and whites separated)
- A touch of cinnamon
- 250 g dark chocolate (for the final coating)
- Sour cherry jam and whole sour cherries (optional)
- A pinch of salt
The workflow: how we do it at the workshop
Step 1 — The pastry. Sift the flour, baking powder and vanilla into a bowl. Add the sugar, egg, salt, grated lemon zest and the lard, worked to a paste. Knead until you get a smooth, even ball. Wrap it in plastic film and let it rest in the fridge.
Step 2 — The two creams.
For the custard cream: heat the milk in a saucepan with lemon zest and vanilla. In a bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and flour. Pour the hot milk into the mixture, return it to the heat and stir until bubbles appear. Add the lemon juice at the end. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool, covering with plastic film pressed directly onto the surface.
For the fruttone filling: in a bowl, mix the toasted, chopped almonds with the sugar, cinnamon, chocolate chips and the 2 egg yolks. Separately, whip the 2 egg whites with a pinch of salt. Fold the whipped whites into the almond mixture, stirring from the bottom up. Set aside in the fridge.
Step 3 — Preparation and assembly. Grease the moulds carefully with oil. Roll out the pastry to about 4 mm thick. Line all the moulds, trimming away the excess from the edges, taking care to set aside enough pastry to make the pasticciotti's domes. Lightly prick the pastry bases with a small fork.
- Pasticciotti: fill with the cold custard cream. Close with the reserved pastry, sealing the edges well and keeping the domed shape.
- Fruttoni: spread a thin layer of jam on the base, add a sour cherry (if you like), then two tablespoons of almond filling, levelling it without going over the mould's edge (it is not closed with pastry).
Step 4 — Shared baking and finishing. Brush only the pasticciotti's domes with beaten egg yolk and a little milk to get the classic golden finish. Bake both the pasticciotti and the fruttoni together at 180°C for about 30 minutes, until golden. Remove from the moulds, letting the pasticciotti cool normally and the fruttoni cool upside down. Once cold, melt the dark chocolate in a bain-marie, dip the top of each fruttone into it, let the excess drip off and leave to set.
Want to live this experience in person?
Would you like to prepare these extraordinary pastries with us, learning the family secrets passed down through generations? Discover our pastry workshop among the farmhouse's experiences.
