THE BOCCONOTTI
Traditional pastry workshop
Held by Dilva Panzone
Tuesday, March 18, 2025, 4:00-7:00 PM
Montorio al Vomano (TE, Italy), at the Parish kitchen
Maximum participants: 7
“In Montorio, every family knows how to make bocconotti!” locals proudly proclaim. Even today, this small yet delicious pastry reigns supreme in Montorio’s confectionery tradition, marking festive occasions and standing out amidst the region’s rich Christmas culinary heritage. They are made exclusively with genuine, locally sourced ingredients, and their most celebrated feature is the unique filling: sclucchiata, a hand-crafted Montepulciano grape jam. This exquisite preserve is meticulously prepared by manually pressing the grapes to remove seeds while preserving the skins, which lend the jam its distinctive texture, all without added sugar.
In this unique workshop, Dilva Panzone will showcase her expertise in crafting and shaping the renowned bocconotto montoriese pastry, a skill she learned from the women who surrounded her as she grew up. From childhood, she watched, and as a young girl, she actively participated in collective baking sessions in family homes, where women gathered to cook for the community’s most significant celebrations: weddings, baptisms, and communions. Not coincidentally, bocconotti are also known as the “wedding pastries”. Through Dilva’s hands, generations of Montorio’s women will pass down their treasured techniques, revealing the delicate touches essential to achieving the perfect bocconotto.
The workshop will take place in the parish kitchen, generously provided by Father Paolo, the town’s parish priest. Participants will witness the entire process of creating the beloved “tearful pastry” and will have the chance to get hands-on experience in crafting their own bocconotti. Dilva will reveal the secrets behind the delicate filling mixture, followed by an in-depth demonstration of shortcrust dough preparation, moulding techniques, and the crucial baking process. As the aroma of freshly baked bocconotti fills the air, participants will share the joy of tasting their creations and take home a bag of these delightful pastries!
