top of page

nonna elvira's 

​

pitte di san martino Recipe

This year Anthony and his mom decided to make Nonna's recipe for Pitte di San Martino; a traditional cookie from Reggio Calabria that Nonna learned to make while growing up in Caulonia, Italy. The cookies are seasonal, starting with the first batch for the November 11th celebration of San Martino (St. Martin) and being cooked throughout villages in Calabria until Christmas Time. Like all Calabrese recipes, each house has their own version that is "the best." Nonna said the cookies represented the ingredients that were the leftovers in the pantry in southern Italy and the vincotto (or cooked wine) was from that year's wine harvest. Her version was stuffed with figs, espresso, nuts, raisins, chocolate, candied citrus rinds, and more! Having visited Caulonia, it feels surreal to see the cookies being featured in every bakery, grocery store, and farmer’s stand during Natale (Christmas). I still think my nonna and mom make them best. To me this is the taste of Christmas, of love and of home. 

pitte di san martino recipe:
makes 6-8 fist sized cookies
​

pitte san martino filling ingredients:

directions:

form the dough

  • 1 cup of dried figs

  • 1 cup of raisins

  • 1 cup of roasted hazelnuts

  • 1 cup of walnuts

  • 1 cup of almonds

  • 8 ounces of dark chocolate melted

  • 1/4 cup blood orange juice

  • 1/4 cup honey

  • 1 generous tsp of cinnamon

  • 1 tbsp of orange rind

  • 2 tbsp of candied lemon rind (if you don't have candied just add lemon rind)

  • 1 cup vincotto (if too hard to find, use brandy)

  • 2 cups espresso

  • 1 tbsp candied lemon rind (if you don't have candied just add lemon rind)

  • 1 1/4 cups butter 

  • 2/3 cup sugar 

  • 4 1/2 cups flour

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 3 tsp baking powder

  • Cold water

form the filling

​

  1. Dice the dried figs, raisins, hazelnuts, walnuts, and almonds (you can use a food processor to make this easier but go one at a time). Add them all to a very large pot.

  2. Next, add the the melted chocolate, orange juice, honey, cinnamon, orange rind, lemon rind, vincotto, and espresso to the pot. 

  3. Using a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients over a low heat until they are evenly spread and until you can no longer smell the alcohol (approx. 30 min). The filling should be moist and sticky. 

  4. Let cool. It is best to let the filling cool in the fridge overnight and continue the next day with the formation of the cookies.

pitte san martino dough ingredients:

  1.  In a food processor, dough mixer, or by hand combine the lemon rind, butter and sugar and mix on high or whisk until fluffy 

  2. Knead the flour, salt and baking powder into the mix. You can continue this in the dough mixer or food processor.

  3. If the dough is still clumpy add a dash of cold water. Note: be careful to add a little water at a time as you form a dough that can easily be rolled but that does not stick.

  4. Set it to the side to use after you finish the filling or wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to use the next day.

  • 1 egg, beaten

  • 1/4 cup Rainbow nonpareil sprinkles

  • pastry brush

decoration ingredients:

​forming the pitte di san martino

​

  1. Roll out the dough so that it is flat.

  2. Place a baseball size amount of filling about 1 inch from the sides of the dough. 

  3. Cut a circle around the filling so that it is enough dough on all sides to cover the filling (like wrapping a present). 

  4. Fold the dough on top of the filling and fasten the edges into one another covering the filling entirely.

  5. Flip the newley formed cookie upside-down on a baking tray.

  6. Brush on the egg yolk and add some sprinkles.

  7. Repeat steps 1-6 until all the cookies are made.

  8. Bake in the oven at 350° F for 35 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown. 

Note: If you have extra filling, enjoy as a snack or keep if for your gluten free friends 😀❤️

bottom of page