Tradition [truh-dish-uhn]: the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice.
The holidays are when traditions seem to be most prevalent and I have spent the last decade chronicling those traditions to be able to carry them on and share them with others. While I love maintaining annual practices, particularly the culinary ones, I recognize that some can be labourious (all be them labours of love).
One such tradition is that of Calabrese Christmas cookies that I adore, sambartini (this is what we call them in our town). These miniature stuffed pies of sort go by several different names depending on where in the toe you come from; San Martini, Samartina, Chinuli and Petrali are some of their other aliases.
They are a typical treat from Reggio Calabria, prepared by farmers, using what they had available to them. They are a half-moon shaped pastry filled with figs (which abundant in summer are dried for use during the winter), walnuts, almonds, and orange peel. Their exterior is usually brushed with egg yolk then garnished with festive sprinkles.
Legend has it that these cookies were created by a priest and his scribe, with their original name being Pretali (priest-like). They were prepared and handed out to churchgoers as gifts for Christmas and symbols of good fortune.
These customary confections have also been honoured with a PAT Designation by the Ministry of Agricultural Food and Forestry in Italy (Prodotti Agroalimentari Tradizionali – Traditional Agri-Food Product).
They are delicious and sure-fire sign of the holidays, but they require a multiday effort. The filling is made three days in advance for the flavours to really marry. Each day, some hot cocoa is mixed in to keep the filling from drying out. The sweet pastry dough is also made several hours in advance of its use and allowed to rest (overnight is ideal). Preparation of the cookies then requires that the dough be rolled and cut into circles, stuffed with the fig mixture, then folded and crimped. This is typically a family activity where many hands get involved.
Recognizing that this can be rather time-consuming, I decided to put a simplified twist on the tradition by taking all the flavour elements of the sambartini and turning them into a fragrant and delightful Bundt cake. Though I still encourage you to try the time-honored process of making these cookies, this is a great way to infuse your Christmas with a taste of Calabria. Buon Natale e Buon Appetito!
Ciambella San Martini – San Martini Bundt Cake
For the Cake:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup vin cotto
- ½ cup fig jam
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
For the Glaze:
- ¼ cup of icing sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon spoon brewed espresso
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoon milk
- Optional: sprinkles
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a Bundt pan with baking spray.
In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs and sugar and mix on medium speed until combined. Add in the remaining wet ingredients.
In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just absorbed. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes. If making mini-Bundt cakes bake for 30 minutes.
Allow to cool on a baking rack before glazing.
To make the glaze:
Whisk together all the glaze ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.
Drizzle over the cooled cake. Garnish with sprinkles if desired
