Recipe for fig "imbollita"

Fig "imbollita" from the Island of Elba

Fig "Imbollita" and Fig Bread are the Island of Elba's oldest cakes.

The so called Fig Bread traditionally was eaten every day but during the Liberation when the Americans brought dark chocolate it was added to the fig bread as a variation for a Christmas cake.

Fig "imbollita" is made from simple ingredients that are found easily in the countryside in Elba: figs, fennel seeds and honey but at the same time are very energetic.

Ingredients

500 gr of figs, water, sweet wine, honey, half a sachet of baking powder, 800 gr of white flour, aniseed seeds, orange rind.

Method

Chop figs and place in just enough hot water to cover them and leave to soften a little.

Put 500 gr of flour on a board, add the hot figs, the baking powder, the honey and some aniseed seeds, add a little liquor, the finely cut orange rind and a pinch of salt.

Add the water used to soften the figs and knead until you obtain a soft dough, adding more flour if necessary.

Knead a little more then cut into longish shapes.

Bake in oven for 45-50 minutes.