Rame di Naples are typical sweets from Catania, prepared during the Day of the Dead.
It is said that these sweets were originally made by the people to replicate, in confectionery, the copper coins minted during the Bourbon period, after the unification of the Kingdom of Naples with the Kingdom of Sicily.
These coins would replace the previous ones, which were made with a richer gold and silver alloy.
The delicious and fragrant cookies I propose today have a soft filling that traditionally is with jam, but in more recent times, equally good and delicious versions have appeared, including the one with Nutella filling.
And if you are already captivated by their goodness when buying packaged Rame di Naples, making them at home allows you to enjoy them at the peak of their delicacy.
It is well known that nothing matches the freshness and genuineness of a homemade dessert, and since the recipe is simple, muster up the courage and make them yourself!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 15
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 314.50 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 41.81 (g) of which sugars 23.99 (g)
- Proteins 4.68 (g)
- Fat 15.51 (g) of which saturated 10.47 (g)of which unsaturated 4.38 (g)
- Fibers 3.81 (g)
- Sodium 47.74 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 70 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 5 tbsps butter (softened)
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/2 tbsp wildflower honey (scant)
- 3 tbsps orange marmalade (or apricot)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- orange zest (zest of one organic orange)
- 3 cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 packet vanilla powder
- 1 tsp baking ammonia (or baking powder)
- 3/4 cup Nutella®
- 1 1/2 cups 50% dark chocolate
- butter (a small amount)
- 2 tsps milk
- 1/8 cup crushed pistachios
Tools
- Blender
- Small pot
- Large pot
- Baking sheets
- Citrus zester
Preparation
To prepare the traditional Catania Rame di Naples, blend the cloves together with the sugar, ensuring no unblended pieces remain.
Then add the ground cinnamon.
In a bowl, combine flour, spiced sugar, grated orange, cocoa powder, vanilla, marmalade, honey, and softened butter in pieces.
Dissolve the baking ammonia in a little milk and add to the mixture, then finish with the rest of the milk and knead.
Once a soft dough is obtained, with your hands or with the help of two spoons (like making quenelles, see short video), shape oval cookies about 40g each.
Place the cookies well spaced on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F, static function, in the lower middle part of the oven, for about 10 minutes or up to a maximum of 12. Do the toothpick test and as soon as it comes out dry, remove the cookies from the oven.
When just removed from the oven, create a cavity in the center of the sweets by pressing lightly with a finger.
Let cool, transferring them onto a rack.
Melt the dark chocolate in a bain-marie with a small amount of butter and a dash of milk, about 10ml.
For this operation, place a smaller pot inside a larger one containing an amount of water that does not reach the bottom of the smaller pot. Keep the flame very low.
When completely melted, let the chocolate cool until it regains a certain consistency.
Meanwhile, fill the cavity of the cookies with a nice teaspoon of Nutella.
While still on the rack, place a sheet of parchment paper (even the one already used for baking) underneath, and with a spoon, drizzle the coating over the cookies. Any drips will be caught by the paper below.
Sprinkle the surface of the sweets with crushed pistachio.
I blend the latter for a few seconds to make it halfway between flour and grains, for a finer effect.
The traditional Catania Rame di Naples are ready to be enjoyed.
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for about 4 or 5 days.
