Let‘s discover together today the ancient recipe for Brusadela di Romagnese, in the company of our chef Patrizia Ferlini.
Alta Val Tidone is the nerve centre of this typical product from the Oltrepò Pavese area. Romagnese is its capital and she best reflects its frugal and simple origins. We are talking about brusadela, the focaccia (sweet or savoury) to which a special festival is dedicated every year.
If today it is an attraction for lovers of good food, brusadela was once prepared by local housewives to check the temperature of the ovens before baking bread. This dough was placed at the base of the oven and thus underwent a kind of burning, hence the name.
During the festival held in August, the village comes alive and the ovens are lit. The Pro Loco di Romagnese keeps this tradition alive and brusadela is prepared in both versions. The sweet one is sprinkled with honey and sugar or filled with jams and creams, while the savoury one is well suited to accompany local cured meats and cheeses.
And the one that is left over? It is kept for the next day, when you can dip it in hot milk at breakfast. The only pity is that this product is not marketed and cannot be found on any other occasion than during the festival. Even the recipe is only handed down orally and it is difficult to find one that could be declared original.
INGREDIENTS FOR 4 PEOPLE
250 g 0-type flour
250 g 00-type flour
3 g fresh brewer‘s yeast
300 ml water at room temperature
5 g salt (for the savoury version)
10 g sugar (for the sweet version)
PROCEDURE
Dissolve the yeast in the water. Place the two sifted flours in a bowl, taking care to add the water a little at a time, avoiding lumps.
Leave the salt as the last ingredient, after kneading the dough for a few minutes. Knead again, also mixing in the salt, and form a dough ball, which should be left to rest for at least 30 minutes.
After the time indicated, make the first round of folds, making a rectangle and bringing the shorter sides to the centre. Leave to rest for a further 30 minutes.
Repeat the same process and leave to rise overnight under cover. Now divide the dough into four loaves, forming round buns by working with your hands.
Bake in a preheated oven at maximum temperature for 10 minutes, brushing the surface of the brusadele with oil once half the time has elapsed.
Wine pairing: COSTA DEL SOLE MALVASIA IGT- Azienda Vitivinicola Tosi
