Buccellato di Lucca: Wende Giovannoni, whose husband is from Lucca, has very kindly shared one of his favorites, a dish that magically transports him back home with the first bite:
Prep Time: 2 hours,
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup grappa, or sweet or dry marsala
- 1 pkg. active dry yeast
- 3/4 cup warm milk (100 degrees F, or 35 C)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon anise seed
- 1/2 butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
- 1/2 teaspoon each anise extract and salt
- About 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Preparation:
Combine the raisins and grappa and let stand for 30 minutes.In a small bowl, stir yeast and anise seed into milk. Let stand until yeast softens, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, using a large wooden spoon or an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, stir in vanilla, orange peel, anise extract, and salt. Add yeast mixture, grappa drained from the raisings and 4 1/2 cups flower, mix until evenly moistened.
To knead with a dough hook, beat at high speed until dough pulls cleanly from sides of bowl, 10-12 minutes ad a little flour if required, stir in raisins.
To knead by hand, scrape dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic about 15 minutes, add as little flour as possible to stop sticking. Knead in raisins and place dough in a greased bowl, turn over the grease top.
Cover dough, kneaded by either method, with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size about 1 hour. Knead briefly to expel air.
Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 20-inch long rope. Place each rope on a greased 12 by 15 inch baking sheet. Join ends of each and pinch to seal. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until puffy 25-30 minutes. Beat remaining egg to blend. Remove plastic wrap and brush lightly over dough. Bake in a 350 degree oven until richly browned 25-35 minutes. (If using one oven, switch pan position after 15 minutes.)
Serve warm or cool. For longer storage, wrap airtight and freeze for up to 1 month. Makes 2 rings each about 1 1/3 pounds.
