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TRENTO

Sdrami, Brazzadellini, Pane Intrecciato and Spaccatine

"Sdrami" is one of the most typical kinds of bread in the Trento area: it is seasoned and has a long (20-25 cm) and slim shape. Other types are milk bread and "Brazzadellini", which are made of wheat flour, sugar, eggs and anise seeds mixed together for about an hour. Their name comes from their shape "a bracciatello", like a bracelet, that is to say: round with a hole in the middle.
"Twisted bread" is very common, but it is also unique: it is made using a mixture of flour and yeast; the making is very complex because it needs a triple rising. After the first rising, during which the volume of the dough triples, more flour, salt and water are added, in order to obtain a stiffer mixture. The dough is kneaded for a long time and then put in a bowl to rise, covered with a linen cloth, near a source of heat . This second rising doubles the dough, which is once more kneaded, making interlaced strings of about 25 cm which are then twisted to form a ring. Finally, half an almond is put on top of each ring.
The rings are left near a source of heat to rise for the third time, covered with a linen cloth, and then are baked in a hot oven. Before being taken out of the oven, they are moistened with cold water.
Another type of bread still very common is "Spaccatina", this bread is seasoned with lard and belongs to the category of "special bread"; the use of lard was contemplated by the specifications concerning the making of bread, which regulated its production until 1993. Until that time this was the most common bread in Trentino and was therefore subject to price control.