Celebrating rites of spring

recipe here is an adaptation I made from master Italian baking expert Carol Field’s recipe in the Cook’s Illustrated.

The ingredients are similar — I just adapted the volumes for the home cook as most nuts from the supermarket seem to come in a standard 100g packet, and who wants odd little quantities of nuts floating around?

The sources I consulted said there is likely to be a special recipe for La Gubana in every household in every town in Friuli.

An anecdote related by Carol Fields illustrates that Italian breads are so regionally specific that a family member of the Bulgari family who was kidnapped could take the police back to not only the town but the suburb where he was held because of the bread his captors fed him. It is therefore not surprising that every town or household would have their recipe for La Gubana.

Rumoured to have some Slavic origins, some references say La Gubana is best served with slivovitz (a strong plum spirit resembling Grappa) but it is equally good with some fresh butter and even a dollop of preserve on the side. For a more elegant option, a bit of lemon sorbet and a glass of grappa should go down a treat.

Happy Easter!