Panforte is a traditional chewy
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
dessert containing fruits and nuts. It is similar to a
florentine but much thicker, or a little like a
lebkuchen
(), or , are a honey-sweetened German cake molded cookie or bar cookie that has become part of Germany's Christmas traditions. It is similar to gingerbread.
Etymology
The etymology of ''Leb-'' in the term ''Lebkuchen'' is uncertain. Prop ...
. Known throughout all Italy, it is a Christmas tradition associated most especially with the
Province of Siena
The province of Siena ( it, provincia di Siena, link=no, ) is a province in Tuscany, Italy. Its capital is the city of Siena.
Geography
The province is divided into seven historical areas:
* Alta Val d'Elsa
* Chianti senese
* The urban area o ...
.
History
Panforte dates back at least to the 13th century, in the Italian region of
Tuscany
it, Toscano (man) it, Toscana (woman)
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. Documents from 1205, conserved in the State Archive of Siena, attest that bread flavored with pepper and honey (''panes melati et pepati'') was paid to the local monks and nuns of the monastery of Montecellesi (modern Monte Celso, near
Fontebecci) as a tax or
tithe
A tithe (; from Old English: ''teogoþa'' "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash or cheques or more ...
which was due on 7 February that year.
Literally, panforte means "strong bread", derived from the Latin , which refers to the spicy flavour. Originally the Sienese called it "
panpepato
Panpepato (Italian: "peppered bread") or pampepato is a round, sweet cake typical of the Province of Ferrara, Siena, the south Umbria and north of Lazio also called Pangiallo. Panpepato is a type of panforte. It is made according to traditional ...
" (peppered bread), due to the strong pepper used. The original dessert was composed of wheat flour, honey, spices, dried figs, jam, pine nuts and was flavored with pepper.
Production
The process of making panforte is fairly simple. Sugar is dissolved in
honey
Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...
and various nuts, fruits and spices are mixed together with flour. The entire mixture is baked in a shallow pan. The finished disc is dusted with
icing sugar. Commercially produced panforte often have a band of
rice-paper around the edge.
Currently there are many shops in Italy that produce panforte, each recipe being their own jealously guarded interpretation of the original confection and packaged in distinctive wrapping. Usually a small wedge is served with
coffee
Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world.
Seeds of ...
or a dessert wine after a meal, though some enjoy it with their coffee at breakfast.
In Siena—which is regarded by many, if not most inhabitants of that city, as the panforte capital of Italy—it is sometimes said that panforte should properly contain seventeen different ingredients, seventeen being the number of
Contrade
A (plural: ) is a subdivision (of various types) of Italian city, now unofficial. Depending on the case, a will be a ''località '', a ''rione'', a ''quartiere'' (''terziere'', etc.), a '' borgo'', or even a suburb. The best-known are the 1 ...
within the city walls.
Protected geographical indication
In 2013 Panforte received the
Protected geographical indication (PGI) of the
Geographical indications and traditional specialities in the European Union.
References
External links
Panforte Di Siena€”history
{{Nut confections
Cuisine of Tuscany
Italian desserts
Nut confections
Christmas food
Italian products with protected designation of origin