The UK is well and truly sold on the Christmas panettone. Before, my family had to go to very specialist delis or someone would send one over to us from Italy, but now they are stacked sky high in most supermarkets and delis. Even my husband's traditional British family have ditched the fruit cake in favour of them!
Lesser known though is the Easter Colomba. Traditionally, this is similar to the panettone but contains no dried fruit and is normally topped with sugar paste, pearl sugar and almonds. It is also shaped as a dove (but is always a very, very abstract, minimal version of a dove!). Anyway it's delicious and if you ever need a break from the Simnel cake, then this is it.
But here I have a particularly special version of the Colomba - this one is made by Sicily based Bacco Tipicita' al Pistacchio who specialise in products made with pistachios grown on the slopes of Mount Etna. Bronte is a village renowned for its special kind of pistachio, known as Etna's 'green gold', and believe me, this ain't no ordinary pistachio. The plants (which can live up to 300 years!) are grown on lava soil so the nuts receive unique properties and a flavour that distinguishes them from your typical bar snack. They can only be harvested every two years and the whole village of Bronte, young and old, get involved in shelling the nuts one by one. I love that thought!
I don't like overly sweet things but this is just gorgeously fragrant with the taste and aroma of good quality pistachios. The emerald colour is natural and the thick paste injected throughout adds interest to the plain base. It is also topped with frosted paste and chopped pistachio nuts. I thoroughly enjoyed it and try as I might, I doubt the rest of it will see Easter day.
I was sent this to review but you can order one direct from Sicily in three days for £20.28 (inc P&P). It's available from http://www.artimondo.co.uk/pistachio-colomba-easter-cake.html
Buona Pasqua!
0 comments