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. One of its defining characteristics is the shortcrust pastry (pasta frolla), which must be light and crumbly—a texture achieved by baking the pastry in special, handcrafted tin moulds. “Without the right mould, it is not a true bocconotto,” the local women insist. Many families still keep sacks of personalized moulds, once marked with their initials, to avoid mix-ups during communal baking sessions. The delicate balance between the crisp pastry and the right amount of filling creates the hallmark of a perfectly baked bocconotto: the lacrima (tear), when the jam gently oozes through the top like a tiny, sweet volcano.

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!