Paciugo, which means “mush” or “mess” in Italian, is a gelato-based dessert that's as synonymous with Portofino as the yachts in its harbor. The Paciugo gelato sundae might not seem very Italian at first glance, but it's just as Ligurian as focaccia, having originated in the 1940s at the Caffè Excelsior, a historic institution in the main piazza that opened in 1924. The destination is popular among jet setters and food pilgrims alike – the latter head to this glamorous village on the Italian Riviera solely to try the dolce created by former owner Lina Repetto in 1941.
The recipe is below – the ingredients of course call for gelato, but if you can't source Italian gelato, ice cream is obviously a suitable substitute.
The Paciugo Genovese
Preparation 15 mins
Ingredients for 4 servings
8 oz./250 g. strawberry gelato
8 oz./250 g. cream or fiordilatte gelato (substitute vanilla ice cream if you can't find these)
8 oz./250 g chocolate gelato
½ cup/120 g fresh cream
30-32 glazed Amarena cherries and blueberries
strawberries
peaches
4 soft amaretti biscuits
Paciugo Gelato
Place 2-3 scoops of gelato, alternating the various flavors – strawberry, cream, and chocolate – as you like into 4 fairly tall and spacious glasses.
Top the ice cream with two generous tablespoons of freshly diced fruit: first the blueberries, then add 2-3 Amarena cherries with a little of their syrup. Finally, dust each glass with crumbled amaretti biscuits.
Repeat all of the steps: add a further 2 scoops of the ice cream of your choice, diced fruit, Amarena cherries, and a tablespoon of syrup to the glasses.
Whip the cream and pour into a pastry bag, finish each glass with a generous swirl of whipped cream and a few additional Amarena cherries as a final decorative touch.
Should you wish to do so, you can purchase the whipped cream and substitute the fruit depending
on your personal taste and the season. You can also top it with a wafer or cookie.