Italy upside down at the "Divina Colomba Divina Pastiera" Award: the best Pastiera is in Brianza and the best Colomba in Avellino

The winning dove is from a pastry shop in Mirabella Eclano (AV), while the first-placed pastry is from the Elite pastry shop in Vimercate (MB).

The best Pastiera, the typical Neapolitan Easter cake, appreciated all over the world and throughout the year, is made in the province of Monza. Conversely, the best Colomba Pasquale, a typical Milanese dessert, born in the 30s from an idea of Dino Villani, advertising director of the Milanese panettone factory Motta, is made in Mirabella Eclano in the province of Avellino.

It is a confectionary world turned upside down what emerges from Regina Colomba Prize Queen Pastry 2023, which was held in Milan where the jurors blindly evaluated the sweet gods 29 competing pastry chefs, from 9 different Italian regions. The sweets in the competition had in common the fact – specifies Stanislao Porzio, creator of the event – of being made with sourdough and completely natural ingredients, without artificial additives, without artificial flavourings and/or natural identical, without semi-finished products (the so-called "mix"), without technological adjuvants.

For the Dove category (classic recipe: sourdough, flour, candied citrus fruits in suspension, butter, egg yolks, sugar; on the surface, icing sugar, eggs and almonds) the first prize went to Annibale Memmolo of the Pasticceria Memmolo of Mirabella Eclano (AV). The second place went to Patrick Zanesi of the Dolce&Salato pastry shop in Liscate (MI). On the third podium went Michele Falcioni of the Posillipo Dolce Officina pastry shop in Gabicce Monte (PU).

For the Pastry category (tart with shell and top strips of shortcrust pastry; wheat-based filling, ricotta cheese, candied orange peel, sugar, natural flavourings) il first prize went to Pietro Cartabia and Giulia Ripamonti of the Pasticceria Elite of Vimercate (MB). In second position is Salvatore Caccioppoli of the Il Buongustaio pastry shop in Sant'Antonio Abate (NA). Third position for Irma Brizi of the Savarese pastry shop in Rome.

Renato Andreolassi, member of the jury, commented on the prizes awarded as follows: «Regina Colomba and Regina Pastiera, two desserts that ideally unite the North with the South. Compared to the first editions, the quality has significantly increased with some peaks of excellence. The challenge between two pastry schools is always interesting, because it demonstrates the evolution of a category which is exalted during the holidays The Regina Colomba Regina Pastiera Award worthily announces the Easter holidays, which are preparing to celebrate the summer season with dignity. Desserts that leave sweetness in the mouth». For her part, Rossella Contato (Pasticceria Internazionale) declared herself “surprised to see that a product like pastiera can show such evident differences between one interpreter and another. A sign that the craftsmanship of the professional who makes it is essential in the result. I would also add that several competing pastieras were of an excellent standard and therefore it was quite difficult to make an assessment as objective as possible».