Pizza Ebraica (Sweet Roman-Jewish “Pizza”)
Pizza ebraica – Jewish sweet “pizza”Yield: 30 Pizza ebraica: Jewish sweet “pizza” This delectable item is not pizza at all, but an unleavened pastry crammed full of whole almonds and candied fruit and cooked until it looks rather burnt but is in fact absolutely perfect, with the nuts crunchy and fruits bursting with flavour. Ingredients
- 1 cup marsala wine (or sherry)
- 2/3 cup raisins
- 4 cups (450g) flour
- 3/4 cup (170g) cup sugar
- 12 tbsp (200g) unsalted butter, softened
- Good pinch of salt
- 1 whole egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup (50g) whole almonds
- 1/2 cup pine nuts (optional)
- 1/2 cup (50g) ground almonds
- 1 cup roughly chopped candied citron, cherries and other candied fruit
- Preheat your oven to 475ºF/240ºC.
- Put the raisins to soak in the marsala/sherry. Leave them at least 20 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, sugar and softened butter, until everything is uniform.
- Add the almond flour, then the beaten egg. Combine well.
- Add the wine and raisins, candied fruit and whole almonds. Mix well to combine.
- Spread onto parchment paper on a baking sheet, an inch think.
- Cook for 25 minutes, until crisp outside but still soft inside.
- Leave to cool a little, then cut into strips (large cantuccini size).
October 8th, 2009 From The JC.com http://cookingforthesoul.com Also known as “Jewish Pizza” “…it is a unique delicacy from the Roman Ghetto. It is sold only at Boccione, a delicious little bakery in the main square (piazza) of the ghetto, hence the name” I was introduced to it at the Glorious Pastry Bakery in Pittsburgh. They said they got the recipe (or at least the inspiration for their own) from Boccione.
Preparation time: 40 minutes. Makes 15-20 pizzas. Ingredients • 80g raisins • 80g unskinned almonds • 80g pine nuts • 80g mix candied fruit/peels in chunks • 80g margarine • 100g candied cherries • 100 ml Marsala or sweet wine • 150 ml sunflower oil • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 170g white caster sugar • 500g white flour • A pinch of salt Method • Preheat the oven to 220?C. • Place the raisins, almonds, pine nuts and the chunks of candied fruit and cherries in a bowl together with the Marsala wine. • TIP: Ideally leave the fruit and nuts to soak for a few hours or overnight for extra taste. • In a separate bowl mix the flour, the sugar, the vanilla extract, the oil and a pinch of salt. Mix thoroughly, either by hand or with an electric hand mixer. Melt the margarine, add it to the dough and mix well. • Now add the wine-soaked nuts and candied fruit mixture to the dough. • Mix thoroughly until you get a floury but homogeneous consistency. If you can’t get this with the electric mixer then work the dough with your bare hands. • Spread a little flour on a clean surface, cut the dough into 3-4 parts and create with each piece long, chunky rectangular strips. • Now divide each strip into 5-6 pieces of 5-6 cm long, 4-5 cm wide and 2 cm high. • Line an oven tray with greaseproof paper, sprinkle on it a little flour and place the fruit cakes on the tray. • Place in oven and leave to bake for 20 minutes. • Remove from the oven, leave to cool down and eat at room temperature. These cakes last for several days.