Spongata
from Italian Traditional Food

Spongata is an Italian festive cake

Spongata is an Italian cake usually eaten at Christmas time. Spongata is the traditional cake of Parma and can only be found in this part of Italy. Spongata made in this region has always been excellent. It is a round, flat shortcrust pastry filled with a mixture made from honey, almonds, pine nuts, candied peel and raisins. Spongata's origins date back to the 14th century and it is one of the oldest cakes made in Italy. It is the Italian equivalent of the English "mince pie".

Serves: 6

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Oven Setting: Preheat to 375 F (190 C) or Gas Mark 5

Ingredients for filling:

1 cup walnuts (chopped)
1 cup almonds (toasted, chopped)
1 cup dry breadcrumbs (small fine size)
1 cup chunky fruit jam (chop the fruit pieces in the jam into very small pieces)
1 cup clear honey (runny)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup seedless golden raisins or sultanas (soaked in water and drained)
1/2 cup pine nuts
pinch of ground cinnamon

Ingredients for pastry:

3 cups plain flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
5 oz (150 grams) butter (cut into small pieces)
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
icing sugar (for sprinkling)

Method:

1. Preheat oven 375 F (190 C) or Gas Mark 5.

2. Spread the breadcrumbs out on a shallow baking sheet. Lightly brown in a moderate oven.

3. Place the breadcrumbs, jam, almonds, and walnuts in a mixing bowl.

4. Pour the honey into a small saucepan.

5. Add the water.

6. Bring slowly to the boil.

7. Pour the hot honey and water mixture into the mixing bowl with the nut and breadcrumb mixture.

8. Add the golden raisins.

9. Add the pine nuts.

10. Add the cinnamon.

11. Mix all the ingredients together well.

12. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave to stand in a cool place (not in the refrigerator) for 2-3 days.

13. Make the pastry.

14. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl.

15. Add the sugar.

16. Add the salt.

17. Add the lemon zest.

18. Mix together well.

19. Turn out onto a pastry board and heap up into a mound.

20. Make a well in the center.

21. Then add the butter.

22. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour. The mixture should resemble fine breadcrumbs.

23. Add the egg and yolks and mix into the dough, briefly working the pastry dough.

24. Shape the dough into a ball and cover with cling film (plastic wrap).

25. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

26. Divide the dough in two portions, one slightly larger than the other.

27. Roll them out into two rounds, trimming one to 24 cm, the other to 28 cm in diameter.

28. Place a sheet of greaseproof baking paper on a baking sheet and transfer the smaller disk onto it.

29. Stir the filling.

30. Spoon the filling onto the pastry dough, spreading it out, but leaving a 1 cm border all round the edge.

31. Cover with the larger round of dough.

32. Press the border and edges to seal well (trim off any overlapping dough)

33. Bake in a preheated oven at 375F (190C) or Gas Mark 5 for 25 minutes.

34. Remove from oven.

35. Leave to cool.

36. Sprinkle the spongata with sifted icing sugar.

37. Slice and serve.

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