Original from Piedmont, in the province of Cuneo, Fugassa d’la Befana is a soft, round-shaped cake, which reminds of a daisy. Like all ancient customs, Fugassa d’la Befana also has a quite original tradition: hidden within are a white and a black fava bean. Whomever found the white fava bean had to pay the cake expenses, and the one who found the black fava bean paid the wine!
Fugassa d’la Befana i salso prepared in other areas in Piedmont, near Alessandria, for instance is called “Fugassa col Carsent”.
Ingredients for 2 loaves:
- 1 kg of flour type "0" Manitoba
- 20 grams of sourdough yeast
- 1 glass of warm milk
- 280 g butter
- 300 grams of sugar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 5 eggs
- 20 g salt
- 3 tablespoons grappa
- 1 dried fava
- cubes of candied orange and cedar
- vanilla
Directions:
Mix all ingredients well, let rest all night indoors at about 23 ° C. In the morning, split into 2 buns. Let rest about ten minutes and work the dough into a thickness of about 2.5 cm, place on baking sheets with parchment paper. At this point, cut several lines without reaching the center, like a daisy. Then twist each portion or overlap with the next one; make rise at a temperature of 27 ° C.
Spread the surface with egg white and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake in an oven at about 200 ° C. Fugassa d’la Befana may be consumed within 1-2 days when stored in a dry place.
International editions: