In this episode we discuss the King of Breads, Panettone. This pastry is not a but the tradition for Natale (Christmas) where it originated - in Milano. Dome shaped (from hanging upside down during the making,) with candied orange, citron, raisins and lots of vanilla, ‘panetun’ gives the scent of the holiday season all the way down the Italian peninsula - and back up again. (And in Peru - where they actually eat MORE panettone per capita than in Italy.)
The history of panettone dates back to the Romans to panem triticum: a loaf of bread sweetened with egg and raisins.
During the Middle Ages, Milanese families celebrated Christmas with three large loaves of wheat bread. In 1395 an edict was issued requiring all bakeries in Milan to make a ‘pan de’ sciori’ or ‘pan del ton’ available to all on Christmas.
The history of panettone is also legend - as most famous recipes are. There are at least three well known versions.
Festivals and things to have with Panettone
Theme Music, The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
Legends of Panettone
The first legend is in 1495 in the court of Ludovico il Moro. A young (14 year old) baker named Toni is assigned to prepare the dessert. He sadly falls sleep and burns the cake which sends the head chef into a rage. To save himself, Toni uses a piece of butter saved for his mother for Christmas to make the soft bread with eggs and sugar. The chef and Ludovico il Moro are delighted. Toni was not credited by the chef but news travels to the city of the creation of the ‘pan de Toni.’
The second legend surrounds the love of Giacomo Atellani and Adalgisa, a daughter of a baker in Milan (…despite itself, Milan is part of Italy, after all.) The Atellani do not approve of the wedding because the of bakers daughters limited propects. Giacomo secretly decides to work for the bakery and creates a bread with sugar, butter and candied citron. The bread is a success, of course, and all’s well that… (not every Italian star-crossed lovers story ends in tragedy.)
The last legend is that of a group of nuns and Sister Ughetta. As Christmas approaches she decided to prepare a cake that will comfort her sisters during the Christmas holidays. The cake, a mixture of sugar, eggs, butter and candied citron satisfies the nuns and become popular throughout Milan.
Panettone is not just for Christmas
Panettone is given as gifts and is celebrated during the Christmas holiday. The Milanese are known to hold onto leftover panetonne and eat it on Feburary 3rd for celebrating Saint Blaise https://italoamericano.org/panettone-san-biagio/
Making Panettone is a labor of love
The process of baking panettone is about as long as your average NBA playoffs. It starts with a lievito madre, a stiff dough that is the starter for the bread, a special sourdough. It’s mixed with egg, flour and butter and worked for three days making multiple doughs before baking. The unique baking process of panetonne involves cooling it by hanging the loaf upside down after baking, which helps preserve the dome shape, and cools for 10 hours.
Creating Lievito Madre (Pasta Madre)
Don't have time to make panettonne. Here are some ways to purchase
here are some great artisnal ones you can buy. Or you can buy less expensive ones that are still very good…. merry christmas, happy easter or, if you’re south of the equator - feliz navidad.
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