Pan di ramerino (rosemary and raisin rolls) - Toscana
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Our favourite Easter breakfast though is pan di ramerino, sweet rosemary and raisin rolls. One could consider them a slightly exotic version of hot cross buns. The smell of these baking will make your mouth water. There are never any left by the time they have cooled completely.
Author: Woo Wei-Duan
Recipe type: Dessert (Dolci)
Cuisine: Toscana
Serves: 30 rolls
Ingredients
- Biga (made from 200 grams flour, 130 grams tepid water and 5 grams fresh yeast)
- 800 grams strong flour
- 7 grams fresh yeast
- 250 grams sugar
- 180 grams extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 10 grams rosemary leaves, rinsed, dried and finely chopped
- 200 grams raisins
- 1egg, beaten
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds removed and pod reserved
Instructions
- Soak the raisins in water to cover.
- Heat the olive oil with the rosemary until it begins to sizzle. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
- Mix the biga, flour, yeast, the cooled rosemary oil, 400 grams of tepid water and 100 grams of sugar together in a mixer on low until the dough forms a ball and comes away from the sides.
- Add in the raisins and mix until combined. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes.
- Put the dough on a greased work surface and pull the dough out on one side and fold it over to the middle.
- Repeat with the opposite side.
- Turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat with both sides.
- Turn the dough over and put back in the bowl with the folded sides facing down. Cover with cling film and let sit for an hour until it has doubled in size.
- Repeat putting the dough on a greased work surface and pull the dough out on one side and fold it over to the middle.
- Repeat with the opposite side.
- Turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat with both sides.
- Turn the dough over and put back in the bowl with the folded sides facing down. Cover with cling film and let sit for an hour until it has doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 180C. Brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Divide the dough into 50 gram pieces. Repeat the pulling and turning exercise as before but with the small pieces of dough.
- Turn the balls over onto the folded part and roll around in your clawed hand to form a clean ball. Place the balls, folded side still down, onto the greased baking sheet. Repeat with all the balls. Cover with cling film and let the rolls rest for 30 minutes.
- Mix the egg with 10 grams of water. Remove the cling film and brush the egg over top of the rolls.
- Use a serrated knife dipped into a cup of water to cut the rolls into a crosshatch pattern on top.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until risen and golden. Their internal temperature should be 93C/200F.
- While the rolls are baking, in a saucepan bring to a boil the remaining 150 grams of sugar with 150 grams of water and the vanilla seeds and pod. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat.
- When the rolls are finished baking, brush on the vanilla syrup while they are still hot.
- I dare you to wait until they are cool to eat them.
