Calabrese Pitta Mpigliata, a Christmas Dessert
https://easyhomemaderecipes.caPitta Mpigliata also known as Pitta Nchiusa, a dessert recipe made with dry white wine, raisins and walnuts. Traditionally Pitta Mpigliata or stuffed sweet thin bread layers with raisins, walnuts, and fruit glaze is made at Christmas and is a delicate Italian Calabrese dessert handed down from generation to generation.
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Ingredients
Dough
- 2 eggs
- 2 oz vegetable oil
- 2 oz shortening melted but cool
- 4 oz Dry White Vermouth
- 1 ¾ oz sugar
- ½ oz liquor (sweet liquor, like Sambuca)
- 3 cups all purpose flour you will need more for rolling out the dough
Filling
- ¾ cup raisins
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 oz water
- ⅛ tsp cinnamon
- 1 pinch cloves, ground
- 225 g candied fruit
- 1 ½ cups walnuts chopped
- ¼ cup honey
Honey Glaze
- ½ cup honey
Instructions
- Use a medium fry pan to heat the raisins, 1 tbsp of sugar and water until the raisins start to sizzle. Break apart any raisins clumped together. Once the raisins have plumped up, remove from heat. When cool add cinnamon and cloves. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs, add oil, melted shortening, sugar, vermouth and liquor. (make sure that the shortening is cool enough that it won't cook the egg)
- Using the dough hook attachment, start adding the flour one cup at a time as you are mixing the dough on medium speed.
- Keep adding flour until the dough reaches a firm consistency and can be handled for rolling, about 3 cups of flour needed.
- You'll need 1 bottom (8-9" wide) and 1 large piece to fill and roll (10" x 25" wide). Separate a piece the size of 4"x2"x2" to roll out as your base. Use the remaining piece to roll out your large piece (10" x 25" wide).
- Roll out one large piece on a floured surface. Transfer it to a table where you can work on filling and rolling.
- Roll out the smaller piece which will be your base and place it on one side of a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
- Warm up ¼ of the honey until it is runny and drizzle it all over the large pitta sheet. Begin to sprinkle the raisins, walnuts and candied fruit all over the pitta sheet.
- Take the pitta from the short edge and start rolling the pitta with the fruit and nut filling. You want a long roll about 2" to 2.5" in diameter.
- Starting at the edge, cut the roll into slices about 2" thick, arranging each slice on the base which you have on the baking sheet. (Make sure that you place the free edge on the inside so it doesn't unroll.) Leave a 1" from the edge of the base as you will need to lift, stretch and tie the edge to the rolls with a string which will go right around the entire pita.
- Take another slice and arrange it on the base until you have filled the base and used up all the slices.
- Lift the pasta edge of the base half way up the roll slice and using cooking twine, tie and secure the edge in place. Cut any loose pitta pasta dough.
- Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden brown.
- Once cooked, let cool down completely.
- On medium high, heat up ½ cup of honey in a fry pan large enough to hold the pitta. Place the pitta in it and use a spoon to drizzle the honey on top of the pitta.
- Once most of the honey has been absorbed, (about 5 minutes) remove the pitta from the pan and place on a serving dish.
- Serve immediately or let cool and store in a cool place.
Nutrition
Serving: 1- 2" Pie sliceCalories: 289kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 16mgPotassium: 116mgFiber: 2gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 34IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 2mg
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