Almond pastries

Pastine di mandorle. Foto di Elisabetta Messina, da Sardegna Digital Library

Almond pastries—known as *is pastissus* in the Campidano dialect and *pastine reali* in the more common Italian term—are among the most elaborate ceremonial sweets in the Sardinian tradition. They consist of three distinct, stacked elements: a thin pastry shell, a soft almond-based filling, and a royal icing topping. This three-layer structure distinguishes them from *candelaus* (which are made entirely of almond paste); in terms of texture and lightness, they are closer to an almond sponge cake than to a dense almond paste confection. Their primary production area is the Campidano region, and they are consistently associated with life-cycle ceremonies: weddings, baptisms, communions, confirmations, and Easter. The icing decoration is tailored to the occasion: colorful and festive for Easter, and featuring white filigree work and personalized inscriptions for weddings.

The pastry shell is made from durum wheat flour, lard, and water; the ingredients are worked into a firm dough and rolled out to a thickness of one millimeter. This dough is then placed into small, buttered molds to form the basket that will hold the filling. The filling is prepared by separating the egg yolks from the whites: the yolks are beaten with sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy, at which point finely ground almonds, lemon zest, a small amount of flour, and an aromatic liqueur (such as maraschino or orange blossom water) are incorporated. Finally, the beaten egg whites are folded in, giving the filling the airy structure that distinguishes it from denser almond pastries. The mixture is poured into the pastry-lined molds, filling them three-quarters of the way. Baking should result in light browning without drying out the filling. Once cooled, the pastries are glazed with royal icing and decorated with hand-molded sugar flowers, colored sprinkles, intricate piping, and inscriptions. The quality of the decoration and the delicacy of the designs are what distinguish premium ceremonial pastries from everyday ones.

Bibliography

Dolci in Sardegna. Storia e tradizione. Nuoro, Ilisso, 2011.
G. Marongiu, Mandigos, gustos e licanzas. Selezione di ricette della tradizione orale della Sardegna. Vol. 1, Cagliari, Agenzia LAORE, 2020.
Mandorlicoltura in Sardegna. Le varietà autoctone della Sardegna. Cagliari, Agenzia LAORE, 2021, pp. 40-57.
S. Paulis, Dolci in Sardegna. Nuoro, Ilisso, 2024.

Update

11/9/2026 - 15:17