Spongata: the recipe for the typical, delicious and simple Christmas dessert

Step 1

Collect the softened butter cut into cubes in a bowl, add the flour, sugar, a few drops of vanilla essence and the wine. Mix with your fingertips1.

step 2

Knead until the mixture is firm and homogeneous, adjusting with a drop of wine if necessary. Then wrap in cling film2 and leave to rest for an hour.

step 3

Collect the wine and honey in a saucepan3, place on the stove and bring to the boil.

Step 4

Remove from heat and add the breadcrumbs4. Mix well.

Step 5

Add the raisins previously soaked in water and well squeezed, as well as the roughly chopped walnuts, almonds and pine nuts5, then mix. Add the candied fruit, a generous pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix again and leave to cool.

Step 6

Line a 22 cm diameter baking tin with a sheet of baking paper. Halve the dough, roll out one piece and place it on top as a base6.

Step 7

Cut off the excess edges and prick the base with the tines of a fork. Pour in the filling7and level it well.

Step 8

Roll out the second portion of dough and use it to cover the cake8.

Step 9

Seal the edges and prick the surface with the tines of a fork9.

Step 10

Form two long strings from the remaining dough, braid them and place them on the edge of the cake10.

Step 11

Bake the spongata in a preheated static oven at 180 °C for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.11.

Step 12

Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then remove from the tin and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle with a little icing sugar and serve12.

Advice
You can line the mold with a slightly wet sheet of baking paper and then wring it out well: this trick will make the paper stick perfectly to the bottom of the cake mold and prevent it from moving; alternatively, you can butter it and then sprinkle it with a little flour .

For the pasta, you can use a liqueur of your choice instead of the sweet white wine , for example Vin Santo. a>

For the filling, you can also vary the dried fruit by adding what you have at home, or you can enrich it further by completing it all with a few chocolate chips. In addition to cinnamon and nutmeg, you can season it with coriander, cloves or a mixture of spices.