The Tuscany is a land of ingenuity. Traditional sweets are often derived from the simple bread dough that peasant women prepared every week. The Pan co’ Santi with sourdough is also of this derivation. A sweet of Sienese origin, made with bread dough and the so-called “Santi”: pepper, spices, walnuts, and raisins. In my version without lard, I replaced the walnuts with almonds due to someone in the house having a severe allergy; it is also lactose-free since I used almond milk. The result is a semi-sweet bread, with the spiciness of pepper and the sweetness of raisins and almonds. Perfect for a snack or breakfast, but also as a dessert after dinner! If I have inspired you, turn on the stand mixer and let’s knead!
For other sweets based on bread dough or stale bread, I recommend these links
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 8 Hours
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 12 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Tuscany
- Seasonality: Fall, Fall, Winter
- Energy 486.74 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 78.33 (g) of which sugars 27.35 (g)
- Proteins 10.70 (g)
- Fat 16.34 (g) of which saturated 1.93 (g)of which unsaturated 8.19 (g)
- Fibers 4.38 (g)
- Sodium 262.23 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 110 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
The traditional Pan co’ Santi is made with walnuts and lard with a greater quantity of sugar. I made a lighter version considering my family’s allergies. Of course, you can replace almonds with walnuts and toast the nuts with lard to get closer to the original recipe.
- 4 cups g flour type 1 (verna)
- 1 cup g water
- g almond milk (or cow's milk)
- g sourdough (refreshed and doubled)
- 1 cup g raisins
- 1¼ cups g almonds (shelled)
- g sugar
- 5 tbsps g extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp g pepper
- 1 tsp g salt
- to taste anise seeds
- to taste wild fennel (dried)
- 1 egg yolk
Tools
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Pan
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Pastry Board
- 1 Container
- 1 Proofing Basket
- 1 Napkin
- 1 Brush
Steps
Preparing, shaping, and baking the Pan co’ Santi with sourdough is essentially like making a slightly richer bread to which you add spices, raisins, and nuts. A bit laborious but not difficult for those who regularly make bread. For those who don’t, it just requires a bit of patience and attention, but by following the steps, everyone will be able to make it! I prefer to knead by incorporating raisins and nuts before resting, but many do this step after the dough has doubled.
The first thing to do is to prepare the filling and let it cool. Soak the raisins in a bowl with half water and half liqueur wine (or just hot water). Meanwhile, toast the chopped almonds in a non-stick pan with 20 g of oil. In 4/5 minutes they will change color.
Drain and squeeze the raisins and add them to the toasted almonds. Mix them keeping the heat low.
Add 20/30 grams of sugar at the end and mix. Once the sugar is melted, turn off the heat and let it cool. Set aside.
In the stand mixer with the paddle attachment, break the sourdough. Mix milk and water in a bowl and use 100 grams to dissolve the sourdough at moderate speed.
Add the flour, another part of the liquids, and make a rough dough.
Attach the hook and add the sugar. Finish the liquids and achieve proper gluten formation. The dough should pull away from the bowl’s sides, which should be clean. Depending on the mixer, it may take from 5 to 15 minutes.
With the mixer running, add the remaining oil to the dough, maintaining the gluten formation.
Add the salt.
Add the pepper (3 to 5 grams, depending on your taste) and finalize the dough.
Meanwhile, the almonds and raisins will have cooled. Add fennel and anise and mix them.
Turn the mixer back on and add the “santi” in 3 or 4 batches to allow the dough to incorporate them well. Transfer the dough to the work surface and, after a half-hour rest covered, round it into a ball and place it in a container with a lid. Store it in the fridge overnight.
After the night in the refrigerator, let the dough come to room temperature and double at room temperature or in a warm place. At a temperature of 79°F, it will take two hours.
Once ready, lightly dust the surface with semolina, turn the dough out, and gently spread it into a square.
Bring the corners of the square toward the center to form another smaller square.
Take the corners of this second square and bring them to the center.
Close, forming a ball, rounding it on the work surface, keeping the folds underneath. Seal them well.
In a round proofing basket covered with a cotton napkin, place some semolina and lay the Pan co’ Santi with sourdough with the folds facing up. Close the napkin and place a silicone lid on top (or put it all in a plastic bag) to wait for it to double.
After a couple of hours at 75-79°F, it will have almost doubled.
Preheat the oven to 338°F in static mode.
Once the temperature is reached, brush an egg yolk on the surface and bake the Pan co’ Santi with sourdough for 45-55 minutes depending on your oven.
Once cooked, let it cool on a rack before cutting it. The Pan co’ Santi with sourdough is good on its own but also paired with cheese or compotes.
Pan co’ Santi with sourdough keeps for at least 4/5 days in a paper bag. It’s also good toasted if it becomes stale… but it won’t because it’ll be gone before then! If you liked this recipe, let me know on Instagram
Pan co’ Santi with sourdough keeps for at least 4/5 days in a paper bag. It’s also good toasted if it becomes stale… but it won’t because it’ll be gone before then! If you liked this recipe, let me know on Instagram
