Pignola

Ingredients

• 1 cup golden raisins
• 2 oranges, grated zest and juice
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, diced
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons tepid water
• 1 package yeast
• 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Method

• Soak raisins, zest and juice overnight.
• Mix flour and salt in mixer bowl. Add butter and mix until butter is broken and distributed through flour. Add yeast and mix.
• Add eggs to orange juice mixture and add to flour mixture. Mix on low speed until dough comes together. Change to dough hook and knead with mixer for about 5 minutes adding more flour if necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time until pliable but not sticky.
• Place in bowl and cover. Allow to rise until double for about 3 hours or overnight in the rifrigerator.
• Turn out the risen dough onto a floured work surface. Gentle knead in the almonds until they are well distributed.
• Shape the dough into a round and then pat into a disk about 1 1/2 inches thick and 8 inches in diameter. Place on a prepared baking sheet.
• Place baking sheet into a plastic bag and inflate. Allow to rise until double in size about 1 hour (longer if dough has been in the refrigerator).
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375F. When dough has risen place in oven for about 35 mionutes to bake unil golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Transfer to a wire rack and dust with powdered sugar. Let cool.

Notes

• Description:
• "A wonderful Italian breakfast bread."
• SERVINGS: 1
• SOURCE: Linda Collister