Pattona Dura
(Festive, Hard, Sweet Chestnut Cake)
from Italian Traditional Food

Pattona Dura is a festive, hard, sweet chestnut cake

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Pattona dura is made from sweet chestnut flour like the basic pattona but is different in flavour, ingredients and preparation. Pattona dura is a classic Italian peasant festive cake which is normally prepared on Christmas Eve. It is dense, not too sweet and full of seasonal flavours. Pattona dura is making a welcomed comeback amongst Italian families at Christmas time.

Serves: 6

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Oven Setting: Preheat to 175C (350F) or Gas Mark 4

Ingredients:

300 grams sweet chestnut flour
50 grams plain flour
3 cups of lukewarm water (use as necessary)
1/2 cup walnuts (chopped)
1/2 cup hazelnuts (chopped)
1/2 cup almonds (sliced or chopped)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried figs (chopped) or dates (chopped)
1/2 cup prunes (stoned and chopped)
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon orange peel (thinly sliced)
1 tablespoon lemon peel (thinly sliced)
4 tablespoons brandy
pinch of salt
half a teaspoon of dried mixed spices (cinnamon, coriander, cardamom, cloves etc.)
1/2 cup of milk (lukewarm)

Extras:

1/2 oz butter
round pie dish size approx:
Width= 9 inches or 22 cm
Height= 2 inches or 5 cm

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 175C (350F) or Gas Mark 4.

2. Dry ingredients for pattona dura filling.

3. Butter a round pie dish.

4. Pour the sweet chestnut flour into a large bowl.

5. Add the plain flour.

6. Add a pinch of salt.

7. Mix the two flours together.

8. Add all the dried ingredients to the flour in the bowl.

9. Mix them all together.

10. Add the brandy.

11. Add the milk.

12. Add a little of the water at a time to enable the ingredients to mix together but the dough must remain dry.

13. Mix the moist ingredients and flour together.

14. Turn the dough onto a board.

15. Mix the dough by hand.

16. Knead dough mixture by hand (just like when making bread) to ensure that the ingredients are evenly distributed.

17. Form the dough into a ball shape.

18. Turn the dough into the pie dish.

19. Press the dough edges into pie dish but do not flatten out the middle of the dough as the finished pattona dura needs to be dome shaped on top.

20. Place in the pre-heated oven (175C (350F) or Gas Mark 4) for about 45 minutes. The pattona dura is cooked when the surface looks like cement in colour and is cracked like crazy-paving.

21. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

22. Cut it into small slices and serve.

Tip:

1. The pattona dura must be thick in depth.

2. Pattona dura is made in a similar way to bread. The mixture needs to be dry to the touch not batter-like as in the basic pattona recipe.

3. Pattona dura is served cold.

4. Sweet chestnut flour is white when in the packet but will change to a brown chocolate colour when a liquid is added.

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