Pandiramerino Rosemary and sultana buns
Shiny and delightfully sticky with decorative criss-crossed tops, pandiramerino – or ‘rosemary bread’ – is fragrant with fresh rosemary and studded with sweet sultanas. Traditionally, these rustic buns were made for giovedì santo, the Thursday before Easter, and were without sultanas, hence their name. Now you can find them year round in bakeries all over Florence. Makes 8 buns 20g fresh yeast, or 7g active dry yeast 1tbsp caster sugar 180ml lukewarm water 300g plain flour, sifted 70g sultanas 2 rosemary sprigs, chopped (about 1tbsp) 60ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing Pinch of salt 55g caster sugar, for the sugar syrup 1 Combine the yeast, sugar and water in a mixing bowl and let it sit for 10min until dissolved. Pour over the sifted flour and combine to make a firm ball of dough. 2 Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with cling film or a tea towel and let it rise in a warm place away from draughts for 1hour. 3 Meanwhile, put the sultanas, chopped rosemary and oil together in a bowl and set aside to infuse until the dough has risen. 4 Combine the dough with the sultanas, rosemary, olive oil and salt. Work the ingredients together by kneading, and divide into eight small balls weighing approximately 70-80g each. 5 Place the buns on a baking tray lined with baking paper and cover loosely with a tea towel. Allow the buns to rise for a further 30min. 6 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Brush the tops with olive oil and slash a noughts and crosses grid over each of the buns with a very sharp knife. Let them rest for another 10-15min, then bake in the oven for about 20min. 7 Meanwhile, prepare a sugar syrup by dissolving the sugar in 2tbsp of water in a small saucepan and bringing to the boil. Take off the heat and brush the hot buns with the hot syrup. 8 The buns are best eaten the day they are made, but they will keep well for 1-2 days in an airtight container. HB