Guide to the Agriturismi of the Province of Lucca

Ingredients for 2 cakes of about 500 g each

220 g of natural yeast • 150 g of sugar • 130 cl of water • 150 cl of milk • 1 egg • 150 g of vegetable margarine • 700 g of Manitoba flour • 50 g of aniseed • 200 g of raisins • spices: aniseed, lemon and vanilla to taste • a pinch of salt.

Preparazione

Preparation:Mix and knead together water and 00 flour, beer yeast and salt, then leave the dough to rest for 24 hours at a temperature no higher than 4/5°C. Soften the dough with water and yeast at least a couple of times, at intervals of roughly 3 hours, until it doubles its weight, then put it into a food processor and mix in some tepid water (about 30°C). Next add the sugar, the egg, the milk, the water, margarine and the spices, mixing them all together well. Next add the Manitoba flour a little at a time, together with the aniseed and the raisins. Mix it together evenly and cover with a damp cloth before leaving it to rise at room temperature for at least 3 and a half hours. Once it has risen, divide the dough in half and make the two pieces into a long loaf shape or a doughnut shape. Bake in the oven at 250°C for about an hour, checking from time to time until they get a nice brown colour. Paint the two pieces with a syrup of sugar and water.