Peppered Bread

PAN SPEZIATO (PANPEPATO)

Peppered Bread

This bread is very reminiscent of the Middle Ages in Tuscany, when spices, imported from the Mediterranean, were used in profusion to produce savoury and sweet dishes. It is similar in concept to panforte, but is darker in colour because of the cocoa. It is also known in Umbria as panpepato because of its spiciness!

 Ingredients

50g (1¾oz) Muscat raisins

2–3 tablespoons Vin Santo

a little unsalted butter, for greasing

80g (2¾oz) blanched almonds, skinned and toasted

80g (2¾oz) shelled hazelnuts, blanched and skinned

80g (2¾oz) shelled walnuts, blanched and skinned

50g (1¾oz) pine nuts

80g (2¾oz) bitter cocoa powder

100g (3½oz) candied peel, finely diced

½ teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, ground coriander and freshly grated nutmeg

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

180g (6oz) runny honey

30g (1oz) plain flour (all-purpose flour)

To finish

plain flour (all-purpose flour), as required

a little unsalted butter, for greasing