La Pastiera perfetta parla bresciano: trionfa Yuri Caseri
·7 min
The episode features an interview with Yuri Caseri, a baker from Brescia in Lombardy, who recently won competitions for both the Neapolitan pastiera and colomba pastries. Host Regina Pastiera welcomes him and immediately highlights the novelty of a Lombard winning a traditionally Neapolitan contest. Yuri explains that Campanian bakers had dominated these competitions for years, but he achieved a double victory this year. He attributes his pastiera's success to using local sheep's ricotta from Paratico and not including orange paste. The host questions whether pastries still have strict local identities, noting that panettone is now made globally. Yuri confirms his pastiera sold out for Easter, indicating high demand. When asked if Neapolitan bakers resent his win, Yuri laughs it off, saying they all accept each other's victories. The discussion shifts to whether foreign tourists know these pastries; Yuri says leavened goods like panettone and colomba are popular online, but pastiera less so. He details the seven ingredients required for pastiera: ricotta, sugar, honey, orange paste or zest, eggs, and cooked wheat, plus the traditional seven braided dough strips on top. The host compares this to Sicilian cannoli, joking about calorie misconceptions. Yuri reveals his next goal is to win a panettone competition after placing second in Milan with a 5kg version that risked collapsing during baking. The host asks about artisanal vs. industrial pastries, and Yuri notes more egg yolk makes dough yellower and richer. The episode ends with light-hearted banter about sympathy awards and future tastings.
