In the past pilgrims would travel from all over Europe to Rome. They followed a path that reached the Apennines after crossing the Po River. They had to carry simple and nutritious foods in their pockets and saddlebags that would keep for a long time and help them keep up their strength along the way. Dried fruit and honey were the best, along with bread.
Today, in the town of Tabiano, near Parma, a town right along the pilgrims’ route, this dessert is still made with the same delicious sweet ingredients inspired by the ancient recipe. They are essential desserts sweetened with honey and dried fruit, easy to make and wonderfully good. At Pasticceria Tabiano, Claudio Gatti (the same featured in the article Focaccia di Tabiano) offers them all year round. Here is his original recipe.
Recipe for the Via Francigena dessert
Ingredients for the shortcrust pastry:
3 1/3 cups flour, 1 1/4 cups butter, 4 oz egg yolks, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, Grated rind and juice from 1/2 lemon
For the filling:
2 oz nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, chestnuts), 1/4 cups sugar, 1 tsp honey, 2 whole eggs, Apricot preservesRaisins and candied orange to taste
Prepare the shortcrust pastry, quickly kneading all the ingredients together. Form a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge. Finely grind the nuts with the sugar. Beat the eggs, working them for a long time: it will take about 10 minutes in a food mixer.
Roll out the shortcrust pastry and use it to line a buttered and floured rectangular mold. Fill the pastry shell with the filling, add the apricot jam and decorate the cake with raisins and some coarsely chopped candied fruit. Bake in a preheated oven at 340°F for about 50 minutes.