The Puglian scarcelle are symbolic Easter sweets from Puglia — small masterpieces of tradition, color and flavor passed down from generation to generation. Every family has its secret, but they all share the magic of shaping them by hand, decorating them with sugar sprinkles and candy confetti, and placing a hard-boiled egg in the center as if enclosing a small wish of luck and joy.
They can be made in the shape of a basket, bell, egg or dove, each with its own story and beauty, and there is no Easter in Puglia without the sweet, enveloping scent of these braided rings that fill the kitchen with happiness. Making them is an act that unites tradition, creativity and a pinch of fantasy: just mix, braid, decorate and you’re done. Here is the full recipe to bring a little bit of Puglia to your table, ready to be admired and tasted:
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 6 2/3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 eggs
- vanilla extract
- grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/3 cup milk (about 70 ml, adjust as needed)
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- hard-boiled eggs (1 for each scarcella)
- 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp milk (for brushing)
- colored sugar sprinkles (or sugar confetti or coarse sugar)
Steps
Put the flour in a large bowl with the baking powder and a pinch of salt, then add the sugar, the eggs, the olive oil, the lemon zest and the vanilla extract.
Start mixing and add the milk little by little until you get a soft but not sticky dough. Work a little on the counter until it becomes smooth, cover and let it rest for about half an hour.
Take the dough and divide it into equal portions, setting aside a small piece from each to create the two strips to be placed gently on the egg.
Form cylinders about 12 inches long (about 30 cm) and braid them in pairs, joining the ends to form rings. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and position a hard-boiled egg in the center of each ring.
Seal it with two strips of dough in an X, pressing well. Beat the yolk with the milk and gently brush the surface, add sprinkles or colored sugar confetti and bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for about 25-30 minutes until golden.
Once ready and well cooled, the Puglian scarcelle are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon appétit and… see you at the next recipe!
If you try this recipe, be sure to tag #ipasticcinidinina on Instagram so I can see it and share it with the community.
