This recipe is often referred to as Pita Piata. It is a traditional dessert from the Calabria region of Italy.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds flour
- 1/2 pound shelled walnuts
- 1/2 pound raisins
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1 egg
- 1 cup brandy
- 1 cup of orange juice
- 2 Tbs ground cinnamon
- 1 Tbs yeast
- 1/2 ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp salt
- flour for working the dough
- melted butter for the dough and pan
- toothpicks
Directions
- Create a well with the flour (it can also me described as a volcano).
- Add the salt, half the sugar, melted butter, egg, 1/2 cup brandy, yeast, 1 Tbs cinnamon, and orange juice.
- Mix all ingredients together with your hands until you get a smooth dough.
- Knead for 5 minutes.
- Divide the dough in five pieces, cover with a cloth and place in a warm, draft free spot. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
- Chop the walnuts into small pieces, but not too small.
- In a bowl mix the walnuts, raisins, remaining sugar, 1/2 cup brandy, 1 Tbs cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl.
- Butter a cookie sheet.
- Lightly flour the counter top and roll out one piece of dough into a thin rectangle. If necessary trim off the edges.
- Lightly coat the dough with melted butter.
- Sprinkle with 1/5 of the cinnamon-walnut-raisin mixture.
- Roll the dough from one end to the middle. Then roll the other end to the middle and attach with a toothpick.
- Place the pastry on the cookie sheet.
- Repeat with the remaining balls of dough.
- Bake at 350ºF. After about 20 minutes brush with melted butter. Bake another 10 minutes. The pastries should be golden brown, but not to dark.
Note: This dessert is often served at Christmas in St. Giovanni in Fiore. Often they are baked in a round cake pan, similar to cinnamon rolls.
If you need to add liquid when working the dough use dry white wine instead of water.