Cooking Recipe Putitza
Recipe Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH
FOR THE FILLING
Directions
One of Italy's very special Christmas and New Year's dishes is this
rich nut-and-fruit pastry, sometimes spelled "Putitza" or "Putizza."
DISSOLVE THE YEAST in 1/4 cup milk. Add 1/2 cup flour and knead into
a soft ball. Cover this with a towel and let it rise in a warm place.
When it has doubled in bulk, add it to a bowl containing the rest of
the flour, the sugar, eggs, melted butter, pinch of salt and grated
lemon peel. Mix in enough milk to make a supple dough; knead well.
Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled in bulk. Put the
raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water; let soften, then
drain. Saute breadcrumbs in 3 tablespoons butter. Finely chop
walnuts, almonds and candied fruits. In a large bowl, mix together
the raisins, pignoli, grated lemon and orange peel, chopped nuts and
fruits, sauteed breadcrumbs and 1 egg yolk. Whip the egg white into
soft peaks and fold it into the mixture. Preheat oven to 375F. Butter
a baking sheet. Roll dough into a sheet 1/8-inch thick. Spread
filling over it, leaving 1 inch clear at the edges. Roll it into a
cylinder and coil it on the baking sheet like a snail shell. Beat the
remaining egg yolk in a small bowl and paint the surface of the dough
with it. Sprinkle it with sugar and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until
pastry is firm and golden brown. Makes 1 Loaf