Putiza (coiled yeast bread with chocolate nut filling)

1 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient

Directions

SERVINGS: MAKES 1 LOAF

SOURCE: GOURMET MAGAZINE, 02

FROM: SALLIE KREBS

Putiza can also be found in cookbooks from Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. The etymology of both putiza and gubana shows the Slavic influences on the Trieste dialect. Potica (the Slavic spelling) is thought to be a contraction of potivica, from potive ("rolled," "wrapped up"). Putiza is excellent with tea; people in this region offer it when visitors stop by for a caffe or grappino.

And Simone also suggests sprinkling the slices with a little more grappa or slivovitz. FOR THE FILLING: 1¾ cups coarsely chopped almonds 1 ¾ cups coarsely chopped walnuts ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons golden raisins ⅔ cup pine nuts ¾ cup sugar ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 ¾ cups fresh bread crumbs ¾ cup Marsala FOR THE DOUGH: 2 teaspoons active dry yeast ½ cup milk plus additional if necessary 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus additional if necessary 3 tablespoons sugar ¾ teaspoon coarse salt 1 ½ teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest 2 large eggs ¾ teaspoon vanilla ½ stick (¼ cup) unsalted butter, cut into bits and softened an egg wash made by beating: 1 large egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water sugar for sprinkling the loaf Make the filling: In a bowl stir together the almonds, the walnuts, the raisins, the pine nuts, the sugar, the cocoa powder, the bread crumbs, and the Marsala until the mixture is combined well and let the filling stand, covered, for at least 1 hour or overnight. Make the dough: In a small bowl sprinkle the yeast over ¼ cup of the milk, heated to lukewarm, stir in 2 tablespoons of the flour and 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and let the mixture stand in a warm place, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the sponge is double in bulk. In a food processor pulse the remaining flour a few times with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, the salt, and the zest. Add the eggs, ¼ cup of the remaining milk, the vanilla, the butter, and the sponge and process the dough until it is soft and somewhat sticky. (If the dough is too dry pour in additional milk, if it is very sticky stir in additional flour, and process the dough for 45 seconds.) On a lightly floured surface knead the dough, incorporating additional flour if the dough becomes too sticky to handle easily, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic, transfer it to a buttered bowl, turning it to coat it with the butter, and let it rise, covered, in a warm place for 1 ¼ hours, or until it is double in bulk. (Alternatively, let the dough rise, covered and chilled, overnight.) Punch down the dough, on a lightly floured surface form it into a smooth ball, and let it stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Roll the dough into a 16- by 11-inch rectangle, spread it evenly with the filling, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides, and, beginning with a long side, roll it up carefully jelly-roll fashion, ending with the seam on top. Fold in the ends to enclose the filling and, working very carefully, stretch the pastry lengthwise from the center, forming a narrow filled cylinder, 24 to 26 inches long. Beginning with one end, wrap the pastry into a coil and transfer it, seam side down, with spatulas to a buttered 9- or 10-inch cake pan or springform pan (the edge of the coil should come to within 1 inch of the side of the pan but should not touch it; do not tuck under the end of the coil). Let the loaf rise, covered with a kitchen towel, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it is almost double in bulk. Brush the loaf with the egg wash, let it stand for 10 minutes, and sprinkle it lightly with the sugar. Bake the bread in the middle of a preheated 375 F. oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until it is golden and sounds hollow when tapped, and let it cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and let it cool on the rack.

Submitted By SALLIE KREBS On 12-07-94

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