Bread of the Dead is a dessert prepared for the commemoration of the dead in Romagna.
Its origin is very ancient, dating back to when the Celts lived in the Romagna lands. A story lost in legend which goes like this: on the night of All Saints’ Day, which for the Celts was the first day of the year, it marked the opening of the gateway between the world of the living and the dead. To appease the spirits, people prepared sweets for the occasion. One of these, particularly rich and substantial, would have been an ancestor of Bread of the Dead. A recipe that, with some adaptations, has survived to this day.
In reality, it is not exactly a flatbread as we are used to seeing. It’s more of a sweet focaccia rich in dried fruits. But it is called ‘piada’ because it is round like the classic Romagna piadina.
In the Rimini area, this sweet focaccia is still commonly found in all bakeries and is consumed for St. Martin’s Day, November 11th.
I tell you that it is simply delicious, sweet enough and full of flavor.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6-8 people
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 449.22 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 74.43 (g) of which sugars 31.16 (g)
- Proteins 10.92 (g)
- Fat 13.90 (g) of which saturated 2.78 (g)of which unsaturated 1.17 (g)
- Fibers 2.77 (g)
- Sodium 28.19 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 5 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 for Bread of the Dead
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp dry yeast
- 2 eggs
- 1 mixed nuts (1/2 cup raisins, 1/4 cup pine nuts, 3/4 cup walnuts, 3/4 cup almonds)
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp milk
Tools
- Springform Pan
- Brush
Preparation of Bread of the Dead
Start by dissolving the dry yeast in a little bit of lukewarm milk taken from the total. Let it rest for twenty minutes until it forms a soft foam.
In a large bowl, pour the flours, sugar, oil, milk, and eggs. Add the yeast mixture last and knead until you get a smooth, soft, and homogeneous dough.
Form a ball and let the dough rise in a warm place, covering the bowl with plastic wrap, for at least ten hours.
After the rising time, take the dough and lightly grease it with a little extra virgin olive oil. Spread it in a 12-inch diameter springform pan in which you have placed a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom.
Decorate the surface of the dessert with the nuts.
Let rise for another 2 hours.
Bake the Bread of the Dead in a preheated oven at 338°F for about 15-20 minutes.
As soon as the dessert is cooked, brush the surface with powdered sugar dissolved in milk.
Let cool before serving.
