Italian cuisine is rightly famed throughout the world for its pizzas, pastas and fine breads, thanks to centuries of development in a region which had access to some of the finest ingredients across Europe and indeed the world. In this article we’ll look at a couple of recipes to make some delicious breads, that can go with any other Italian meal- or indeed, as a standalone snack or along with almost any other cuisine.
Panettone
Ingredients:
14 ounces of sugar
3 eggs
7 ounces of brewers’ yeast
1 tbsp of sugar
A pinch of salt
Rum, to taste
1 ounce of lemon verbena
Raisins, as many as you like
Milk, if you desire a softer pastry
Mix together the sugar, yeast, cinnamon and a punch of salt, plus the rum if you would like, and knead them until you get a smooth, elastic pastry. You can also add a dash of milk to soften the dough if you like, although it’s not necessary. At this point add in the raisins and an ounce of candied lemon verbena.
Section the pastry into two broad areas. Then with a knife, make a cross on top of each area and let them sit in a cool place for six hours- this will allow the pastry to rise because of the yeast. Then place the egg yolk on top before cooking, and bake the pastry for 20 minutes or until browned nicely. Serve and enjoy!
Rosy Brioche:
Ingredients
1 pound of flour
9 ounces of butter
1 tbsp of sugar
1 tbsp of salt
1 egg
1 – 2 cubes of brewers’ yeast
9 ounces of cooked ham
10.5 ounces of fresh cheese
Milk, to bind
Mix together the flour, butter, salt, egg and brewers’ yeast until you get a smooth, even dough – you can add milk to help bind the mixture. Let the dough sit for a couple of hours and then cut in half.
Smear some butter across a tray, and then extend the first of the two pieces of dough across the base, right up to the edges. Add the cheese, ham and grated Parmesan cheese. Now, add the second lot of dough, stretching across the base and the other ingredients. Place in the oven for around 20 minutes, and then serve while hot.
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