Rustico Leccese
A classic Salento bar snack made of golden, flaky puff pastry discs filled with thick béchamel sauce, sweet tomato and melted mozzarella.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 485 kcal
Equipment
- •Baking tray
- •Baking parchment
- •10 cm pastry cutter
- •Small saucepan
- •Pastry brush
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 485 kcal
- fat
- 31 g
- carbs
- 38 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 14 g
- calories
- 485 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until bubbling gently.
- 2
Add the plain flour and whisk continuously for 1 minute to make a smooth paste.
- 3
Pour in the warm milk in a steady stream, whisking vigorously to avoid any lumps.
- 4
Simmer the béchamel gently for 3 minutes until thick and glossy.
- 5
Stir in the nutmeg, half the salt, and black pepper, then let it cool completely.
- 6
Toss the crushed tomatoes with olive oil and the remaining salt in a small bowl.
- 7
Cut eight 10 cm rounds from the cold puff pastry sheets using a round cutter.
- 8
Arrange four discs on a parchment-lined baking tray and prick their centres with a fork.
- 9
Spoon a generous tablespoon of cooled béchamel, a spoonful of tomato, and diced mozzarella onto each disc.
- 10
Brush pastry borders with beaten egg, place remaining discs over the filling, and press edges lightly to seal.
- 11
Brush the top of each parcel generously with beaten egg for a deep golden finish.
- 12
Bake at 200°C for 22 to 25 minutes until deeply golden, puffed, and crisp.
Chef's tips
Ensure the béchamel is completely cool before assembling so it does not melt the delicate butter layers in the pastry. Pat the diced mozzarella with kitchen paper to remove excess moisture and protect the bottom crust from turning soggy.
Ingredient substitutions
- fresh mozzarella → fiordilatte or firm low-moisture mozzarella for a drier filling
- canned peeled plum tomatoes → thick tomato passata (sieved tomatoes)
Storage
Store cooled leftover rustici in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Reheating
Reheat in a preheated oven at 180°C for 8 to 10 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the cheese melts.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using warm béchamel, which softens the raw pastry and prevents it from rising properly.
- •Failing to drain the mozzarella, resulting in a watery centre and a wet pastry bottom.
- •Crimping the outer edges with a fork, which crushes the laminated pastry layers and restricts the puff.
Serving suggestions
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