PAN E SAPA CAKE for the holidays, traditional recipe, simple and quick recipe with dried fruits, typical dessert from southern Sardinia, for Day of the Dead and Christmas. At my house, it’s never missing: as soon as December arrives, I immediately ask my mother if we can prepare it, because for us it is a family tradition that renews every year.
This recipe combines a bit of my Campanian origins and a bit of Sardinian ones: on the holiday table, you’ll find roasted piglet next to escarole pizza, and roccocò next to pan e sapa. A fusion that makes Christmas unique.
In the Cagliari area, it is called “pan e sapa,” although the real pan e sapa is a sweet leavened bread with cooked wine and dried fruits. This is a rustic and hearty cake, without leavening, that captivates with its intense aroma and spicy flavor.
The secret is the sapa, the cooked wine boiled for a long time with orange peel and cinnamon, sometimes with cloves. Enriched with almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and dried figs, it becomes a dessert that smells like autumn and winter and not only is it delicious when freshly made, but it improves over time.
We often buy sapa in Sardinia, but last year my father (in 2010) decided to make it at home: to obtain one liter of sapa, about 5 liters of wine are needed, which must boil slowly for hours with orange peels and cinnamon. I, being stubborn, added cloves, and it turned out very fragrant.
That’s why at my house we always prepare a huge pan, so there’s enough left to enjoy even after the holidays.
Follow me in the kitchen today there is sapa cake.
Published
30 December 2011 10:36
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Day of the Dead, Christmas
Ingredients
- 1.75 cups flour (the one you usually use)
- 0.35 cups potato starch
- 0.25 cups sugar
- 1 egg
- 0.5 cups walnuts
- 0.5 cups almonds
- 0.5 cups raisins
- 0.5 cups hazelnuts
- 0.5 cups dried figs
- 0.5 cups candied fruits
- 0.5 cups cooked wine (sapa)
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 orange zest (grated)
- 1 lemon zest (grated)
- 1 packet spices (flavorful)
- milk (if needed)
- 5 quarts must
- 5 orange peels
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 3 cloves
Steps
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Chop all the dried fruits into pieces.
Mix the egg and sugar until creamy, if needed add a few tablespoons of sugar and milk.
Add the sapa, flour, spices, and all the other ingredients, and finally the yeast, mix well.
Grease a 9-10 inch pan and pour the mixture.
Bake for about 40 minutes. Remove from oven, brush with sapa, and decorate with dried figs, sprinkle with colored sprinkles.
Serve cold. It tastes better after a few days.
PAN E SAPA CAKE typical Sardinian Christmas dessert with sapa
Extra tips
For an even richer taste, brush the top of the cake with some sapa after baking.
Pair it with a small glass of Sardinian myrtle liqueur or a bitter coffee: the combination is perfect.
If you like tradition, add spices like cloves or anise: the aroma will be irresistible.
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FAQ PAN E SAPA CAKE typical Sardinian Christmas dessert with sapa
What is sapa?
Sapa is cooked wine: a must that is slowly boiled for hours with flavors like cinnamon and orange zest until it becomes a thick, dark syrup. It is the main ingredient of the sapa cake.
What is the difference between pan e sapa and sapa cake?
Pan e sapa is a sweet leavened bread with sapa and dried fruits, while sapa cake is a compact and rustic dessert, without leavening, typical of the Cagliari area but widespread throughout Sardinia.
When is pan e sapa prepared
Traditionally for the Day of the Dead, at Christmas, and during all important Sardinian holidays.
Can it be stored for a long time?
Yes, thanks to the sapa and dried fruits it remains soft and fragrant for several days.
