Barbara Lucchi's Ciambella Romagnola, Illustrated

Barbara Lucchi and her husband Riccardo Menghi, run the Vecia Cantena d'La Pre' in Predappio Alta, a pretty hilltop town in the mountains southwest of Forlì. I was fortunate enough to visit them in the course of a press tour, and when I returned to the town called ahead to ask Barbara (she handles the cooking, while he serves their guests) if she could demonstrate something easy to make.

Her Ciambella Romagnola, the traditional cake of the region, certainly fits the bill. It's wonderful for breakfast, dipped into warm milk or caffè latte. It's also quite nice at the end of a meal, either with a glass of dessert wine or with the slices drizzled with zabaione or a fruit sauce or glaze.

Her one word of warning: Don't scale the recipe. It works perfectly as is.