All Saints' Day

All Saints’ Day, or La Festa di Ognissanti, is celebrated every year in Italy on November 1st. This holiday was created to celebrate saints of the Catholic church by bringing family and friends together. Most businesses and schools are closed on this day so proper celebration can occur. People typically spend the day by attending mass and exchanging gifts or food with the people around them.

One of the most important parts of the day is the feast. This is the time where family and friends gather to enjoy the company of their loved ones. It is a day filled with many authentic Italian dishes. If you are looking for a side to bring to your dinner, we have attached a recipe for Pan dei Santi below.

Il Pan dei Santi (O Pan Co’ Santi) di Orietta

This recipe is for 8-10 people

500 gr flour
100 gr sugar
300 gr raisins
Vin Santo
200 gr of walnut kernels
5 gr pepper
1 pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon
25 gr brewer’s yeast
250 grams of lukewarm water
1 egg
Honey

Soften the raisins in lukewarm water or Vin Santo.
Dissolve the yeast in the water and mix in the flour. Leave to rise for an hour.
Add the sugar, raisins, walnuts, pepper and spices and mix them well. It is not necessary to work the dough for a long time.

Divide the dough into several parts and put them to rise directly on a baking tray for 2.5 hours. The baking tray should be lined with parchment paper and covered with a cloth. Check to see if it is well risen, which can take up to four hours.
Put in the oven and bake at 170-180 degrees for about 40 minutes.
Remove the bread from the oven, brush it with a beaten egg, honey, or sugar water. Put it back in the oven to complete baking for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Now that you know how to celebrate All Saints’ Day, will you be baking the Pan dei Santi?

For more information on food and culture, check out this article: All About Truffle Hunting in Tuscany, Italy.

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