Umbrian Rocciata

17/11/2023

The Umbrian Rocciata is a typical dessert of the Umbrian cuisine, similar to a strudel, filled with dried fruit, apples, and spices. Here is the recipe for you.

Ingredients

300 g of flour
30 g of sugar
50 g of extra virgin olive oil
A pinch of salt
Lukewarm water (as much as needed to obtain an elastic dough)
3 apples
100 g of sugar (for the filling)
100 g of crushed walnuts
100 g of crushed almonds
50 g of raisins
50 g of chopped dried figs
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
The grated zest of one lemon
A pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Preparation

First, prepare the dough by mixing the flour with 30 g of sugar, the oil, a pinch of salt and gradually adding lukewarm water until you get a smooth and elastic dough. Work the dough for a few minutes, then cover it with a damp cloth and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the filling. Peel the apples and cut them into thin slices, then mix them with the sugar, crushed walnuts and almonds, raisins, dried figs, cinnamon, grated lemon zest and, if you wish, a pinch of nutmeg.
Take the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin forming a thin rectangle, trying to make it as thin as possible without breaking it.
Spread the filling evenly over the rectangle of dough, leaving a free edge on the sides. Gently roll the dough on itself, starting from the long side, to obtain a long roll.
Roll the roll onto itself, forming a spiral similar to a snake, and lay it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake the Rocciata in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 40 minutes or until it is golden brown.
Let it cool completely before slicing and serving.

The dessert can be dusted with powdered sugar before serving for an extra touch of sweetness.

Curiosity

The Umbrian Rocciata is part of the tradition of desserts filled with dried fruit and spices typical of the autumn and winter period, when fresh fruit was less available. It is a dessert that is linked to festivities, but is enjoyed all year round today.