This recipe is often referred to as Pita Piata. It is a traditional dessert from the Calabria region of Italy.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds flour
• 1/2 pound shelled walnuts
• 1/2 pound raisins
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup brandy
• 1 cup of orange juice
• 2 Tbs ground cinnamon
• 1 Tbs yeast
• 1/2 ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• flour for working the dough
• melted butter for the dough and pan
• toothpicks

Directions

1. Create a well with the flour (it can also me described as a volcano).
2. Add the salt, half the sugar, melted butter, egg, 1/2 cup brandy, yeast, 1 Tbs cinnamon, and orange juice.
3. Mix all ingredients together with your hands until you get a smooth dough.
4. Knead for 5 minutes.
5. Divide the dough in five pieces, cover with a cloth and place in a warm, draft free spot. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
6. Chop the walnuts into small pieces, but not too small.
7. In a bowl mix the walnuts, raisins, remaining sugar, 1/2 cup brandy, 1 Tbs cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl.
8. Butter a cookie sheet.
9. Lightly flour the counter top and roll out one piece of dough into a thin rectangle. If necessary trim off the edges.
10. Lightly coat the dough with melted butter.
11. Sprinkle with 1/5 of the cinnamon-walnut-raisin mixture.
12. Roll the dough from one end to the middle. Then roll the other end to the middle and attach with a toothpick.
13. Place the pastry on the cookie sheet.
14. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough.
15. Bake at 350ºF. After about 20 minutes brush with melted butter. Bake another 10 minutes. The pastries should be golden brown, but not to dark.

Note: This dessert is often served at Christmas in St. Giovanni in Fiore. Often they are baked in a round cake pan, similar to cinnamon rolls.
If you need to add liquid when working the dough use dry white wine instead of water.