Spongata

Spongata is a traditional Italian sweet, typical of some areas of Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany, especially during the Christmas period. It is a rich sweet, with a spiced and fruity filling wrapped in a shortcrust pastry crust. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry:

• 500 g type 00 flour
• 200 g sugar
• 200 g butter
• 2 eggs
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 400 g honey
• 150 g toasted almonds
• 100 g toasted hazelnuts
• 200 g dried figs
• 100 g breadcrumbs
• 100 g mixed candied fruit (citron, orange)
• 50 g raisins
• 30 g pine nuts
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 apple
• 1 pear
• 1 orange (juice only)
• 1 glass of sweet white wine
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• 1 pinch of ground cloves

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the shortcrust pastry. In a bowl, mix the flour with the sugar, cold butter cut into cubes, eggs, grated lemon zest and the pinch of salt. Quickly work the ingredients until you obtain a homogeneous dough. Form a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

2. While the pastry rests, prepare the filling. In a large bowl, mix the toasted almonds and hazelnuts roughly chopped, the dried figs cut into pieces, the breadcrumbs, the candied fruit, the raisins (previously soaked and squeezed), the pine nuts, the lemon zest, the apple and pear peeled and cut into small cubes, and the orange juice.

3. In a saucepan, heat the honey until it becomes liquid and pour it over the fruit and dried fruit mix. Add the white wine, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Mix well to combine all the ingredients.

4. Take the shortcrust pastry from the refrigerator and divide it into two parts, one slightly larger than the other. Roll out the larger part and line the bottom and sides of a previously buttered and floured pan, allowing the pastry to overhang slightly.

5. Pour the filling inside the pastry and level it. Roll out the remaining pastry to create the lid of the Spongata. Seal the edges by pressing lightly with your fingers or with the tines of a fork.

6. Prick the surface with the tines of a fork to allow moisture to escape during baking and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 45 minutes or until the pastry turns golden.

7. Let cool completely before serving. Spongata can be stored for several days, and its flavor tends to improve over time.

Trivia

This traditional Christmas cake has ancient roots, said to date back even to the Middle Ages. The variety and richness of the ingredients suggest the legacy of spices and essences typical of medieval trade and the taste for elaborate, spiced sweets. Spongata is a perfect example of how Italian cuisine is a crossroads of cultures and stories.