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Gubana friulana
Nut and raisin pastry spiral
Gubana: Cividale's snail-shaped Easter pastry packed with nuts, raisins and grappa
Gubana comes from Cividale del Friuli and the Natisone valleys on the Slovenian border, where it is baked for Easter, weddings and christenings and shared in slices from a coiled round loaf. A soft, sweet yeast dough is rolled around a dark filling of walnuts, raisins, pine nuts and candied peel, then curled up like a snail shell so each slice shows a spiral. Locals often splash a little grappa or plum brandy over each slice and the filling is usually laced with it too; orange juice works in its place for an alcohol-free gubana. Chef's tip: bake it a day ahead, wrapped well, as the filling grows moister and spicier overnight.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the dough
- ¼ cup lukewarm whole milk
- 10 ½ oz strong white bread flour
- 1 ¾ oz caster sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp lemon zestfinely grated
- 2 ⅛ oz buttersoft
For the filling
- 1 ¾ oz dry breadcrumbs
- 1 oz butter
- 5 ½ oz walnutsfinely chopped
- 1 ¾ oz hazelnutsfinely chopped
- 1 oz pine nuts
- 3 ½ oz raisins
- 1 oz candied orange peelfinely chopped
- 2 ⅛ oz sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp orange zestfinely grated
- 3 tbsp grappaor orange juice for an alcohol-free gubana
To finish
- 1 eggbeaten, for brushing
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
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Method
0/13 doneStep 1: Stir ⅛ oz fast-action dried yeast into ¼ cup lukewarm whole milk and leave for 5 minutes until foamy.
5 minStep 2: Mix 10 ½ oz strong white bread flour, 1 ¾ oz caster sugar and 1 pinch salt in a bowl. Add the milk, 1 egg, 2 egg yolks and 1 tsp lemon zest and knead for 8 minutes, then knead in 2 ⅛ oz butter a piece at a time until smooth and silky.
12 minStep 3: Cover and leave in a warm place for 60 minutes, until doubled.
60 minStep 4: Meanwhile toast 1 ¾ oz dry breadcrumbs in 1 oz butter in a pan over a medium heat for 3 minutes, until golden. Cool.
3 minStep 5: Mix the crumbs with 5 ½ oz walnuts, 1 ¾ oz hazelnuts, 1 oz pine nuts, 3 ½ oz raisins, 1 oz candied orange peel, 2 ⅛ oz sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp orange zest and 3 tbsp grappa.
Step 6: Whisk 1 egg white until it holds soft peaks and fold it into the filling to bind it.
Step 7: Roll the dough on a floured board into a 45 × 25 cm rectangle, about 4 mm thick. Spread the filling evenly, leaving 2 cm clear along the long edges.
Step 8: Roll up tightly from a long side into a sausage shape and pinch the seam closed. Common mistake: rolling loosely; gaps open in the oven and the spiral collapses into a hollow.
Step 9: Coil the roll into a snail and set it in a buttered 22 cm round tin, seam down, tucking the end underneath.
Step 10: Cover and leave to rise for 60 minutes, until puffy. Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan).
60 minStep 11: Brush with 1 egg and scatter with 1 tbsp granulated sugar.
Step 12: Bake for 45–50 minutes, until deep golden; cover with foil after 25 minutes if it browns fast. A skewer in the dough part should come out clean.
50 minStep 13: Cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then on a rack. Wrap and keep for up to 5 days.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 400 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gubana friulana take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 130 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of lukewarm whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
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