makes
16
prep
15 minutes
cook
15 minutes
difficulty
Easy
makes
16
serves
preparation
15
minutes
cooking
15
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
The original bussolai were made simply of bread dough (water, flour, yeast and salt) and shaped into the characteristic ring and baked, after which they could easily last three months if kept well in a biscuit tin – no wonder, then, they were the preferred snack of the mariners and fishermen from Burano.
These beloved, long-lasting bread rings were eaten by all Venetians (they are also known as buranei, or buranelli, referring to their origins on the island of Burano), as they were eventually prepared by the bakeries run by Serenissima apparently as early as the fifteenth century. They took the place of regular fresh bread during meals and were dipped into wine.
But bussolai today are usually in the form of sweet biscuits, rich in egg yolks, buttery and sweet. They can still be found in rings, but also in an S-shape, according to some stories at the request of a restaurateur on Burano, which made them easier to dip into small glasses of sweet wine – these esse-shaped ones have since become more popular.
I have adapted this recipe from the way they are made at Cantina Do Spade, an excellent bàcaro near the Rialto market,
Ingredients
- 100 g (3½ oz/ ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened
- 100 g (3½ oz/scant ½ cup) sugar
- zest of 2 lemons
- 4 egg yolks
- 250 g (9 oz/1 ⅔ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
Chilling time: 30 minutes (or overnight).
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl and add the sugar, lemon zest, and then the egg yolks, one at a time. Beat until you have a smooth and creamy mixture. Fold in the flour and mix carefully (I use a spatula here) until the dough comes together. Cover the bowl and place the dough in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Split the dough into four pieces and roll these into long snakes, about the width of your finger. Break off 15 cm (6 in) lengths and form into an inverted S or a ring shape – or both.
- Bake until just cooked – about 15 minutes. They should still be pale, just starting to turn golden. Place on a wire baking rack, where they will harden as they cool.
This is an edited extract from Cinnamon & Salt by Emiko Davies (Hardie Grant Books, RRP $40). Available in stores nationally.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
The original bussolai were made simply of bread dough (water, flour, yeast and salt) and shaped into the characteristic ring and baked, after which they could easily last three months if kept well in a biscuit tin – no wonder, then, they were the preferred snack of the mariners and fishermen from Burano.
These beloved, long-lasting bread rings were eaten by all Venetians (they are also known as buranei, or buranelli, referring to their origins on the island of Burano), as they were eventually prepared by the bakeries run by Serenissima apparently as early as the fifteenth century. They took the place of regular fresh bread during meals and were dipped into wine.
But bussolai today are usually in the form of sweet biscuits, rich in egg yolks, buttery and sweet. They can still be found in rings, but also in an S-shape, according to some stories at the request of a restaurateur on Burano, which made them easier to dip into small glasses of sweet wine – these esse-shaped ones have since become more popular.
I have adapted this recipe from the way they are made at Cantina Do Spade, an excellent bàcaro near the Rialto market,
