the mid-1900s. Whatever the ancestor of Salento coffee, its success is due to Antonio Quarta, the owner of the Avio Bar in Lecce, who sold ice in thick flakes when refrigerators and freezers did not yet exist. To avoid throw away the leftover ice, he decided to put it in the coffee. To sweeten the drink, he added almond essence, smoothing out its strong taste. The result was a creamy, refreshing, energizing coffee rich in flavours and aromas. • espresso coffee 1 • almond essence 50 ml • large ice cubs as desired Place a few ice cubes in a glass and add the almond essence. Prepare an espresso coffee and pour on top of the ice while still hot. Tradition has it that the drinker should pour the coffee with almond essence into the glass of ice. Calories On average, one cup of this drink has between 40 and 60 calories, based on how sugary the almond essence is. Recipe berna_namoglu on Adobe Stock Pairings Leccese coffee can be paired with the pastry that is the symbol of Salento, the sweet pasticciotto: a small treasure chest of shortcrust dough that encases pastry custard. The pairing with the rediscovered Leccese Rustico or with a gourmet savoury pasticciotto should not be underestimated. The origins of the pasticciotto are disputed between Galatina, where it was allegedly created in 1740, and Lecce, where it was made for the first time in 1911. In reality, traces of it can be found in texts by Annibal Caro from 1538, and by Bartolomeo Scappi in 1570. Be that as it may, the tasty dessert has become the symbol of pastries from Puglia. Antonio Campeggio, maestro pastry chef from l’Arte bianca pastry shop in Parabita, in the province of Lecce, offers a contemporary version. The shape of his sweet and savoury pasticciotti, as defined 48 THE LEGEND
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