Pan dei morti

“Pan dei Morti” is a typical Italian dessert, particularly from Lombardy, which is prepared for the Day of the Dead. Here are the ingredients and the method to prepare Pan dei Morti:

Ingredients

• 300 g of dry biscuits (like shortbread or amaretti)
• 100 g of flour
• 150 g of sugar
• 100 g of ground almonds
• 50 g of bitter cocoa powder
• 100 g of raisins
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of powdered spices (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg)
• Grated zest of 1 orange (organic or well washed)
• 100 ml of milk

Preparation

1. Start by finely chopping the biscuits and almonds in a food processor.
2. Place the mixture in a bowl and add the flour, sugar, bitter cocoa, baking powder, and spices. Mix all the dry ingredients well.
3. Add the raisins previously softened in warm water and squeezed, and the grated orange zest. Mix again.
4. Little by little, pour in the milk and knead with your hands until you get a homogeneous mixture that doesn’t stick to your hands. If necessary, add more flour or milk to reach the desired consistency.
5. Form small oblong buns and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 20-30 minutes or until the Pan dei Morti are well cooked but still soft to the touch.
7. Let the cookies cool before serving, dusted with icing sugar if desired.

Pan dei Morti is a dessert that encapsulates the flavors of autumn and remembrance, a tradition handed down from generation to generation, carrying with it symbolism and stories from the past.