Recipes of the tradition: Pan di Ramerino
Pan di Ramerino is a sweet bun typical of the Tuscan tradition, that used to be prepared on Holy Thursday. "Ramerino" is a Tuscan word from the 14th century with which the Florentines still call rosemary, the fundamental ingredient of Pan di Ramerino, to which this preparation owes its unmistakable fragrance. In addition to rosemary, the main ingredients are dried raisins and olive oil, which together create a very particular contrast of flavours. Later on a small amount of sugar was also added to the recipe.
Each ingredient of Pan di ramerino had a precise symbolic meaning. In the Middle Ages, to rosemary was attributed the ability to ward off evil spirits and was therefore used in rituals and as an amulet. Grapes and wheat, on the other hand, symbolize the mystical presence of Christ and the communion.
A cross incision is made on the soft loaf to facilitate leavening and baking, but also to bless the bun and underline its character of devotional bread.
Tuscan housewives always kept some unsalted bread dough at home, suitable for both sweet and savoury preparations, so as to be able to enrich it with seasonal ingredients throughout the year. Pan di ramerino belongs to the very tradition of these typical Tuscan breads, which were flavoured with spices, dried fruit, honey, olive oil, raisins or indeed, rosemary.
To prepare this bread, the raisins are first left to soak in water and Vin santo, so that they can soften and aromatize.
While the loaves are leavening, they are brushed with an egg mixture, which gives them the typical browning during baking, and as soon as they are removed from the oven, they are also brushed with a syrup made of water and sugar, to polish and sweeten them.
The secret of this preparation lies in the leavening process which requires quite a long time, but if you follow our instructions it will be very easy.
Let's see how to prepare Pan di ramerino at home.
PAN DIRAMERINO RECIPE
Ingredients
For the biga:
- 200 g of strong flour
- 100 g of warm water
- 2 g of brewer's yeast
For the dough:
- 300 g of biga
- 5 g of brewer's yeast
- 800 g of soft wheat flour 1
- 100 g of cane sugar
- 400 g of warm water
- 20 g of salt
- 180 g of extra virgin olive oil
- 300 g of raisins
- 1 small glass of Vinsanto
- 10 g of rosemary (only the needles)
- 1 egg for gilding
For the sugar syrup:
-150 g of sugar
- 150 g of water
- ½ vanilla pod
Preparation
The day before:
- Prepare the biga by dissolving the brewer's yeast in water at room temperature in a bowl and add the flour.
- Mix quickly and then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 20-24 hours.
The day of cooking:
- Soak the raisins in the Vinsanto and a little water, cover and leave to rest for about 1 hour. Then drain well and squeeze.
- In the meantime, chop the rosemary and lightly fry it with olive oil in a pan, remove from the fire and let it cool down.
- To prepare the buns, dissolve the brewer's yeast in half of the warm water. Add the biga, the flour, the sugar and mix in the planetary mixer for about 5 minutes. Add the salt while continuing to knead and pour in the water little by little until the dough is smooth and firm. You can also knead by hand, but it will take longer.
- Now add the oil and the rosemary, still mixing at low speed for about 10 minutes. The dough shouldn't be too sticky. Finally add the raisins and mix until incorporated.
- Grease a pan with olive oil and transfer the dough into it, let it rest in a warm place, such as a closed oven with the light on, for about 15 minutes.
- Then divide the dough into pieces of about 70g each and tuck the ends of the loaf under the loaf so that the dough is stretched.
- Arrange the buns on baking trays lined with baking paper, spacing them well and let rise for 30 minutes. Brush them with the mixture of beaten egg and a teaspoon of water and let them rise another 30 minutes before brushing again with the mixture.
- Score the sandwiches with a knife creating a fairly deep cross pattern and let them rise one last time until they have doubled in size.
- Finally, bake them at 180°C in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes. They must be puffy and golden.
- Meanwhile, prepare the syrup for the finishing touch by boiling the water with sugar and the vanilla bean and when the buns are ready, brush them with this sweet mixture.
Buon appetito!
It's an elaborate preparation because of the leavening steps, but it's absolutely worth the hassle!
The rosemary buns keep well for 5-6 days in a tin box or in an airtight bag. These buns, given their not too sweet dough, can be eaten both with butter, jam or with cheeses, salmon and cured meats. Absolutely delicious!