Breads, Cakes and Custards
Ostaria Istriana
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Bussolà, Busolai e gli Essi This delicate dry traditional delicacy is typical of Easter in Veneto and Friuli, though nowadays they are made throughout the year. Because of the period in which they are traditionally made, the bussolai (busolai in Venetian) and Essi contain many eggs (or rather egg-yolks); the egg is the symbol of rebirth and resurrection. The local variations concern the liqueur used: from Marsala, to Grappa (acquavite), to anise, or white wine. In the national archives of Italy, there still exists a warning letter from the government of Venice (then independent) to the nuns of the convent of St. Matthew on an island in the Venetian Lagoon, telling them to cut down on the number of Bussolai that they consumed around Easter, or they would be in money troubles. The same dough is used for both the ‘Bussolai’ and the ‘Essi’, the only difference being the shape. The Bussolai (from the word ‘busa’, dialect for ‘hole’) are ring-shaped and thus have a hole in the centre, while the ‘Essi’ are shaped like the letter ‘S’. In theory, the ‘Bussolai’ and ‘Essi’ should only be made in the baker’s wood oven, since the temperature reached in these ovens cannot be reached at home. In Venice many people make the dough at home and take it to the baker’s. At Easter, long queues of people wanting to have their ‘Bussolai’ and ‘Essi’ baked can be found in front of any Baker’s shop.
The bussolai are considered doughnuts or cookies, typical of Vicenza and the territory stretching up to Bassano and Treviso (and other parts of the former Venezia-Giulia), where they are the traditional dessert during Easter holidays. They are prepared with a dough consisting of eggs and Marsala or grappa or anisette. These cookies are usually an after dinner treat, when they are served with a glass of one of the many locally produced sweet wines. The ‘Essi’, because of their elongated shape, are easy to dip into your glass and let it soak up some of the wine. Ideal to soak in tea or wine, they are very nutritious due to the high quantity of eggs they contain. Since the egg is the symbol of Resurrection, the desserts produced for Easter have always a great percentage of this ingredient. Bussolai venexianiSono dei grossi grissini arrotolati a forma di cerchio; ancora prima dell '800 era abitudine veneziana mangiarli al posto del pane o bagnarli nel caffelatte al posto dei biscotti. Un'usanza molto popolare era anche quella di bagnarli nel vino alla fine di ogni pasto, poiché aiutava la digestione.Recipes:
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Once they are mixed, pour the luke-warm butter into the bowl and mix quickly (the butter cannot be too hot or the eggs will fry!). Add the vanilla and the grated lemon peel. Knead the dough until elastic and firm. Add some milk if the dough is too dry. Use the dough the form rings of 5 centimetres in diametre for ‘Bussolai’, or make them into ‘S’ shapes of about 8 centimetres high for ‘Essi’. Put them in the oven on a buttered oven dish for about 15 minutes. Source:
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Ingredienti:
Put the flour on a work surface and combine with the sugar, a pinch of salt, and the lemon rind; form a mound and create a well in the top. Break in the eggs and slowly blend the flour with your fingers working from the outside in. Melt the baking powder in the luke warm wine and slowly work it into the dough. Knead in the soft butter until it forms a smooth dough. Prepare the Bussolà by making rolls about the size of a finger. These quantities are for around 40 biscuits. Space them out onto a buttered baking sheet, and bake in a pre-heated oven at 325° F - 170° C - G3 for about 20 minutes. Source:
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To the uninitiated, these not-too-sweet ring-shaped cookies from the Veneto might seem dull and uninteresting. But Venetians love them and so do I. Called bussolà, from the word buca for "hole", they are perfect with coffee, tea, or dunking in wine. These long-keepers are made from a dense dough that is best made in a food processor. Be sure to measure ingredients carefully, using metal or plastic measures for dry ingredients and glass measures for liquid ingredients. Flour should be lightly spooned into the measuring cup. Bussolà can also be formed in S-shapes. Ingredients:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Transfer the dough to a work surface. Pinch off small egg-size pieces of dough and roll them under the palm of your hands into a 9-inch rope about the thickness of your small finger. Bring the two ends together and pinch them closed. Place the bussolà on lightly greased cookie sheets, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. Bake for about 15 minutes or until they are pale golden brown. Remove the bussolà to a cooling rack. When completely cool, store the cookies in airtight containers for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for longer storage. Makes about two dozen.Source:
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Ingredienti:
In una terrina fate sciogliere con un po' di acqua tiepidail lievito di birra, unite la farina sufficiente a formare un impastomolto morbido; mescolando con un cuchiaio di legnoaggiungete un cucchiaio di zucchero e un po' di sale. Coprite con un panno, lasciate lievitare in un luogo tiepido,riparato dalle correnti d'aria, finchè l'impasto avrà quasiraddoppiato il suo volume. Versatelo allora sulla spianatoia, unite il burro sciolto,lo zucchero, la rimanente farina, una grattugiata di limone (solo la parte gialla); se vi piace potete aggiungere anche unpizzico di cannella o di chiodi di garofano macinati. Impastate con le mani, allungando con un po' di vinobianco quando serve, e lavorate energicamente fino a che otterreteun impasto omogeneo; battetelo sulla spianatoia comesi fa con la pasta da pane. Lasciatelo ancora coperto e riparato per circa due ore, poi rimpastatelo e formate delle ciambelline che porrete sullapiastra del forno dopo averla unta. Lasciate riposare ancoraun'ora circa, poi cuocete nel forno non troppo caldo. Questo dolce è molto antico e popolare e com'è naturalene esistono molte versioni. Source:
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Ingredientes:
Colocar la harina sobre la mesa de trabajo, incorporar una pizca de sal, hacer con la mano un hueco en el centro, colocar en él 50 g de mantequilla derretida en una pequeña cazuela, la levadura desmenuzada y diluida en 2 cucharadas de agua tibia y los huevos (reservar un poco de claras de huevo para “brillar” la rosquilla). Batir los ingredientes con el tenedor y amasar la preparación mojando con las gotas de Marsala. Trabajarlo durante 30 minutos, el tiempo para darle la consistencia adecuada. Con la mantequilla restante untar un molde de 20 centímetros de diámetro con el orificio en el centro y las paredes altas; darle a la masa la forma de un rollo largo y colocarla en el molde uniendo las extremidades, untarla con las claras de huevo batidas que se reservaron y rociar encima el azúcar. Cubrir el molde con un trapo de cocina y dejarlo en reposo en un lugar seco durante 1 horas, luego cocerlo en el horno a190°C durante 30 minutos. En provincia de Vicenza, en lugar del Marsala, se utiliza el aguardiente, mientras en Treviso el anís. “Bussolà”, según la tradición local, es le don que los padrinos de confirmación le dan a los ahijados. Source:
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Ingredienti:
Sbattere le uova con lo zucchero, unire tutti gli altri ingredienti, tenendo per ultima la farina. Ungere ed infarinare un grande stampo a forma di ciambella ed infornare per 40 minuti a 190°. Source:
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Ingredienti:
Impastare bene a lungo tutti gli ingredienti fino ad ottenere una pasta liscia simile alla pasta per tagliatelle. Lasciar riposare l'impasto, coperto,per mezz'ora. Tagliare poi l'impasto a tronchetti e sul tavolo di lavoro infarinato formare dei cilindretti del diametro di 1 cm. Tagliare i cilindretti ottenuti ad una lunghezza di 15 cm ed unire le 2 estremità, schiacciandole in modo da formare delle ciambelline. Friggere in olio abbondante come i crostoli e spolverarli poi con lo zucchero a velo. Source:
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This page compliments of Marisa Ciceran
Created: Thursday, April 15, 2004. Last Updated:
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
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"Chi ga santoli ga bussolai"says a proverb in Vicenza; it means that
there is always wealth, when the right saints are in paradise. 