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Pellegrino Artusi's  Biscotto alla sultana
Pellegrino Artusi's Biscotto alla sultana (Raisin and candied fruit dessert using wheat and potato flour)
Originated from: Italy
Occasion: Any time
Contributed by: Taken from "La Scienza in Cucina e L'Arte di Mangiar Bene" compilato da Pellegrino Artusi (1891, 1907)

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Ingredients

150 grams (5- 1/4 ounces) powdered sugar
100 grams (about 3-1/2 ounces) wheat flour
50 grams (about 1-2/3 ounces)potato flour
80 grams (about 2-2/3 ounces) sultanas [golden raisins]
20 grams (about 2/3 of an ounce) candied fruit, chopped
5 eggs, separated
a touch of lemon zest
2 tablespoons rum or cognac

Extras
Enough rum or cognac to soak the candied fruit and sultanas
Butter to grease the baking dish; icing sugar and flour to dust it after it has been greased

Equipment needed
a smooth mold or baking dish that will give the cake a high, round shape

Original Italian text
zucchero in polvere, grammi 150
farina di grano, grammi 100
farina di patate, grammi 50
uva sultanina, grammi 80
candito, grammi 20
uovo, n. 5
odore di scorza di limone
rhum o cognac, due cuchiaiate




Directions

First put on the burner the candied fruit, chopped into pieces the size of watermelon seeds, and the sultanas with enough cognac or rum to cover them.

When the liquid boils, light it with a match and let it burn away from the fire, until all the liquor is evaporated.

Then remove the sultanas and candied fruit and place them to dry between the folds of a table napkin.This done, blend the egg yolks in which has been added the lemon zest with the sugar, stirring the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon for half an hour.

Beat the egg whites with a whisk until stiff and fold into the mixture.

Then add the wheat flour and the potato flour by sifting them over the mixture, stirring slowly and gently until well blended.

Finally add the sultans, candied fruit and two tablespoons of rum or cognac, and pour into a smooth mold or baking dish that will give the cake a high, round shape. Grease the mold with butter and dust with icing sugar and flour.

Make sure to put the mold in the oven immediately after pouring the dough into it so that the sultanas and candied fruit do not sink to the bottom. If this does happen, the next time you make the recipe leave out one of the egg whites.

Serve cold.



Original Italian text

Ponete prima al fuoco l'uva e il candito tagliato della grandexxa dei semi di cocomero con tanto cognac o rhum quanto basta a coprirli; quando questo bolle, accendetelo e lasciatelo bruciare fuori del fuoco finche il liquore sia consumato; poi levate questa roba e mettil liquore sia consumato, poi levate questa roba e mettetela ad asciugare far le pieghe di un tovagliuol.

Fatta tale operazione, lavorate ben bene con un mestolo per mezz ora lo zucchero e i rossi d'uovo ove avereteposta la raschiatura di limone.

Montatesode le chiare colla frusta, e versatele nel composto; indi aggiungete le due farne facendole cadere da un vagliettino e in pari tempo mescolate adagio adagio perche si amalgami il tutto, senza tormentarlo troppo.

Aggiungete per ultimo l uva, il candito e le due cucciaiale di rhum o di cognac menzionate e versate il miscuglio in uno stampo liscio o in un cazzaruola che diano al dolce una forma alta e rotonda.

Ungete lo stampo col burro e spolverizzatelo di zucchero a velo e farina, avvertendo di metterlo subito in forno onde evitare, avvertendo di metterlo subito in forno onde evitare che l'uva e il candito perecipitino al fondo. Se cio avviene, un'altra volta lasciate indietro una chiara.

Si serve freddo.


Notes

The recipe in this entry was taken from "La Scienza in Cucina e L'Arte di Mangiar Bene manuale Pratico per le Famiglie" compilato da Pellegrino Artusi. The book was first published in 1891. Since then many Italian editions have been published. Olga Ragusa's selection of recipes from Pellegrino Artusi's famous cookbook, titled "The Italian Cook Book," can be found in its entirety at www.archive.org (It's free). The University of Toronto recently published a new English edition of Pellegrino Artusi's "Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well"; many of the recipes in this edition can be found at www.books.google.ca.... Photo: Mary Melfi.

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