Cornetto Irpino Ripieno di Pane e Uva Passa con Crema di Formaggio, Alici e Nocciole

The Cornetto Irpino Ripieno di Pane e Uva Passa con Crema di Formaggio, Alici e Nocciole is a savory-sweet pastry from the Irpinia region of Campania, Italy. Its name translates to "Irpinian croissant filled with bread and raisins, with a cream of cheese, anchovies, and hazelnuts," reflecting a tradition of balancing bold, contrasting flavors. The dish likely evolved from the area's cucina povera, where bakers repurposed leftover bread and local pantry staples like anchovies and hazelnuts into a filling for enriched dough.

Key ingredients include a laminated pastry dough similar to a cornetto, stale bread soaked and mixed with raisins, a creamy blend of local cheeses (often ricotta or caciotta), salt-cured anchovies, and toasted hazelnuts. A great version achieves a crisp, golden exterior with a soft, layered interior, while the filling balances the sweetness of raisins and cheese with the briny punch of anchovies and the nutty crunch of hazelnuts. The bread component adds rustic texture and prevents the filling from becoming overly rich.

Regional variations may adjust the cheese-to-anchovy ratio or substitute walnuts for hazelnuts. In Montemiletto, Italy, the pastry is famously prepared at Da Cannaruto, where it has been praised by food creator Jana Food Porn for its "perfect harmony of sweet and savory." The dish exemplifies Irpinia's culinary identity: resourceful, bold, and deeply tied to the land.