The pappery breadalso called pampepatoit’s a typical Italian sweet of the Christmas holidays now widespread throughout the world, but prepared and consumed above all in Terni it’s at Ferrara. Each family has its own recipe with different variations, but the basic traditional preparation is with almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and pine nuts, chocolate, candied fruit and raisins. In some provincial variants we also find i dried figs or cooked must. Gingerbread can be a beautiful and delicious gift for Christmas: you can prepare gingerbread in a slightly smaller version, wrap them in acetate paper for sweets and give them to friends and relatives. Gingerbread is characterized by that sweet and spicy tastewith a peppery tip that enhances the flavor of honey and candied fruit.

PREPARATION

1

Toast the dried fruit in a preheated static oven for 10 minutes at 180°. As soon as it is ready take it out of the oven and let it cool down. Meanwhile, cut the candied fruit into cubes.

2

Chop the chocolate and pour it into a saucepan together with the sugar and coffee.

3

Bring to the heat over low heat and melt the chocolate and sugar, stirring constantly.

4

Coarsely cut the toasted dried fruit and pour it into a bowl, adding honey, candied fruit and raisins.

5

Combine flour, cocoa, spices and the previously prepared chocolate cream with sugar and coffee.

6

Mix with your hands until you get a homogeneous mixture.
Form 4 loaves and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Leave to rest for at least 3 hours in the air, then bake at 180° in a static oven for 20 minutes.

7

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 6 hours.

Advice and tips

The gingerbread is kept wrapped in a sheet of aluminum paperin a cool and dark place, up to 4 months.

You can give an even more delicious touch to your gingerbread by covering it with melted dark chocolateor sprinkling it with powdered sugar.

You can vary the quality of dried fruit inside: we advise you to add pistachios or pecansthe typical Australian nuts, very tasty and delicious.

Do you want to try a different but equally delicious version of a Christmas cake made with dried fruit and chocolate? Try our recipe of pangiallo!

History

The origins of gingerbread are disputed between several cities. The first written sources attesting gingerbread, however, date back to 1205, in an account of the daily activities of the nuns of Montecelso, in Fontebecci in the province of Siena, who received a particular type of bread worked with pepper and honey. Also in Venice there are annals with mentions of the “pan pepal” already from the end of the thirteenth century. The city of Terni and that of Ferrara still contend for the origin of this dessert; in particular, the city of Ferrara traces the birth of gingerbread back to the convent of Corpus Domini in the city as early as the 11th century. The term “peppery” it is not strictly related to pepper: refers mainly to the set of spices, which give the dessert that slightly spicy and characteristic flavour. Given the cost of spices, it was used above all in the richest circles and in monasteries, and it spread only at a later time even among the less well-off.