The Rustico Leccese Branca 150 g is the iconic savoury snack of Salento: two layers of golden puff pastry enclosing a creamy heart of béchamel, a milk-based cheese preparation and tomato pulp, finished with a touch of ground white pepper. Raw and deep-frozen at -18 °C, it goes from freezer to counter in 16-20 minutes at 200 °C. Carton of 50 pieces (7.5 kg net), shelf life 18 months.
What Is the Rustico Leccese
The rustico is the street-food symbol of Lecce and of the whole Salento peninsula in Puglia: a round puff-pastry pie traditionally filled with béchamel, tomato and cheese, eaten warm at any hour of the day in the bars and bakeries of the old town. Its golden, fragrant pastry and soft, savoury filling make it a complete snack that needs no garnish.
The Producer: Branca Gel of Collepasso (Lecce)
Branca Gel S.r.l. is a Salento company based in the industrial zone of Collepasso, in the province of Lecce, founded in 2000 on the pastry experience of Michele Branca, active in the trade since 1974. Today the founder's children Andrea, Luca and Chiara run the business, specialised in the symbols of Salento gastronomy: rustico leccese, pasticciotto and cornetto salentino, deep-frozen immediately after production to preserve flavour and texture.
Technical Characteristics
Each 150 g piece is made of 67% puff pastry (soft wheat flour, margarine, refined lard, dried sourdough) and 33% filling based on a milk preparation with EU pasteurised curd, type 00 wheat flour, tomato pulp (70% tomatoes), milk powder and white pepper. Average nutritional values per 100 g: 962 kJ / 231 kcal, fat 16 g of which saturates 4.6 g, carbohydrates 18 g of which sugars 2 g, fibre 4.1 g, protein 0.64 g, salt 1.1 g. Allergens: cereals containing gluten, milk and milk products.
Professional Preparation
Preheat the oven to 200 °C, place the pieces on trays, let them thaw completely and bake at 200 °C for 16-20 minutes until golden. Once thawed, the product must not be refrozen. Serve warm: the béchamel heart must stay creamy, never dry.
Uses in Professional Catering
Ideal for bars and cafés as a mid-morning or aperitivo snack, for bakeries and delis as a warm counter item, for hotels in breakfast and brunch buffets, and for caterers as a single-portion finger food. The 150 g format is the classic full-size bar portion; one carton of 50 pieces covers a full service day of a busy counter.
Storage and Shelf Life
Store at -18 °C: shelf life 18 months from the production date. Transport in refrigerated vehicles at -18 °C. To be consumed only after baking.
LAPA Delivery and Logistics
B2B and B2C frozen delivery at -18 °C from the LAPA warehouse in Embrach (Zurich). Direct refrigerated fleet across Zurich, Winterthur, Kloten, Aargau, St. Gallen, Lucerne, Bern and Basel; for Ticino (Lugano, Bellinzona), French-speaking Switzerland (Geneva, Lausanne, Fribourg) and mountain regions delivery within 24-48 hours with certified food-grade partner couriers (Swiss Post, Planzer, Galliker). Service for bars, bakeries, delicatessens, hotels, caterers, Italian grocery stores and private customers.
Who It Is For
For every food professional in Switzerland who wants to offer authentic Salento street food without an in-house pastry lab: a thaw-and-bake product with consistent quality, 50-piece logistics and the true taste of Lecce.
