Pasta di mandorla

A unique combination of sugar and almonds is the secret of this tasty dessert. Pasta di mandorla is a speciality in Lecce and in the area of Salento. It is the queen of the festivities and it is used in many recipes in patisseries.

In the preparation, minced almonds have to be mixed with sugar using “cold or warm” procedure. Almonds must be of the finest quality because this will determinate the taste of the mix.

Pasta di mandorla is the key ingredient for many traditional desserts in the area, as the traditional “paste secche”, sweet pastries with fruit shapes, “fruttoni” and it is the main ingredient of Easter lambs and Christmas fishes, filled with jam or chocolate cream. In Lecce, nuns from the monastery still prepare pasta di mandorla according to an antique and secret recipe.