Rice Cream Pasticciotti

Name: Rice Cream Pasticciotti
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: Type 00 flour 4 cups; Butter cold 1 cup; Egg yolks (about 4) 2.3 oz; Powdered sugar 1.67 cups; Vanilla bean ½; Rice milk 3 &frac18; cups; Eggs (approximately 3) 6.3 oz; Egg yolks (about 1) 0.6 oz; Sugar 1 cup; Type 00 flour ¼ cup; Cornstarch 4 ½ tbsp; Vanilla bean ½; Egg yolks 1; Rice milk 0.7 tbsp

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Vegetarian

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 30 min
Makes: 12 pieces

PRESENTATION

Pasticciotti with rice cream—let me tell you—it's like a little taste of Southern Italy right at your table. Really. It's a classic treat from Salento, and these pastries are famous all over Puglia. You know why? It's their tender shortcrust shells and that smooth, not-too-heavy Italian rice cream tart filling. Seriously good.

They totally remind you of those old-school bakery cases—traditional shape, small, plump ovals with a golden top. Normally, you’d find lemony custard or creamy ricotta inside, but this version uses rice milk. And the result? A gentle sweetness and light texture. And it's honestly perfect when you take a bite.

This treat is so so good for a family gathering or even a laid-back afternoon snack. Try them warm, and the moist cream filling just shines. Some folks love adding syruped sour cherries for a tangy kick—which is great.

In Salento, creativity with pasticciotti is a thing. And look, they even have larger versions like torta pasticciotto. Perfect for sharing. Really, the focus is on that shortcrust being crispy on the outside—not too crumbly—encasing that creamy rice center. Compared to other Italian pastry recipes or custard tarts, this rice pudding tart has its own charm.

The rice cream inside isn’t too thick or sweet, just smooth and mellow. Experimenting with different fillings? Pretty much part of the fun. The rice cream is a lighter option—great for a change of pace.

You’ll find these lined up in bakeries all over Lecce and the rest of Puglia, right alongside other traditional Italian desserts. Pasticciotti with rice cream really shows off the sweet side of Italian baking—without being overly fancy or heavy. Enjoy them cold for a firmer bite or warm and soft. Either way, they are a little taste of the south that lingers with you. For sure.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for the pastry dough (for 12 pasticciotti): Type 00 flour 4 cups (500 g); Butter 1 cup (250 g) - cold; Egg yolks 2.3 oz (65 g) - (about 4); Powdered sugar 1.67 cups (200 g); Vanilla bean ½

for the rice milk cream: Rice milk 3 ⅛ cups (750 g); Eggs 6.3 oz (180 g) - (approximately 3); Egg yolks 0.6 oz (18 g) - (about 1); Sugar 1 cup (225 g); Type 00 flour ¼ cup (30 g); Cornstarch 4 ½ tbsp (35 g); Vanilla bean ½

for brushing: Egg yolks 1; Rice milk 0.7 tbsp (10 g)

Preparation

How to prepare Rice Cream Pasticciotti

To prepare the rice cream pasticciotti, first make the pastry dough. In a bowl, pour the flour and cold butter cubes 1, mix them well with your hands until you obtain a "sandy" mixture. Transfer to a work surface and add the powdered sugar 3.

Mix with your hands 4 and form a well. Pour the egg yolks in the center 5 and the vanilla bean seeds 6.

Knead quickly with your hands 7 until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough 8. Wrap it in plastic wrap 9 and let it rest in the refrigerator.

In the meantime, prepare the cream: pour the rice milk into a small pot 10, add the vanilla seeds 11 and bring it to just under a boil. In another pot, pour the eggs, the yolk, and the sugar; mix with a whisk 12 until you obtain a well-blended mixture.

Add the flour 13, mix, and also add the cornstarch 14. Blend well with the whisk. You should get a smooth mixture without lumps.

As soon as the milk starts to boil, slowly pour it into the egg yolk mixture 16, continuing to mix. Cook over low heat, always stirring, until the cream reaches the desired consistency 18.

Transfer it to a baking dish and cover with cling film pressed directly onto the surface 19. Retrieve the pastry dough and roll it out with a rolling pin. You should achieve a thickness of 1/4 inch 20. Using a round cutter of 4 inches, cut out the first disk 21, you will need 34.

Transfer it inside an oval mold measuring 2.5 x 4 inches. Press well into the edges with your fingers 23 and fill with cream almost to the brim 34.

Trim the excess dough with a small knife 25 and place another pastry disk on top. Press the edges well to make it adhere 26 and again trim the excess dough with a small knife 27. Continue in this way until you form 12 pasticciotti.

Mix the egg yolk and rice milk in a small bowl, transfer the pasticciotti to a baking tray and brush each one 28. At this point 29, bake in a preheated static oven at 350°F for 30 minutes, on the middle shelf. When they are golden, your pasticciotti are ready to be removed from the oven 30. Serve them warm or cold.