Fisherman's bread (pane del pescatore)

8 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
¾ cup Unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 tablespoons Sugar
1 Whole egg
1 Egg yolk
2¼ cup Unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Baking powder
¾ cup Golden raisins
¼ cup Diced candied orange peel
¼ cup Diced candied lemon peel
4 teaspoons Fennel seeds
3 tablespoons Milk
3 tablespoons Dry Marsala

Directions

Combine butter and sugar in large mixing bowl. Beat until fluffy, light and pale in color, 5-7 minutes on medium speed of electric mixer. Add whole egg and continue to beat, scraping down sides of bowl. Add yolk and beat well, scraping down sides of bowl again.

In separate mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, raisins, candied orange and lemon peels and fennel seeds. Add half flour mixture to butter mixture and mix until dry ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Beat in 2 tablespoons milk and Marsala. Add remaining flour mixture and continue to mix just until rough, shaggy dough forms.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead with lightly floured hands until dough is soft but still slightly sticky, about 2 minutes. Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Shape each portion into ball and then, using palms of hands, flatten balls into disks about 1" thick. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with butter. Place shaped loaves on baking sheet. With small serrated knife, cut simple shallow grid pattern in top of each loaf. Brush tops with remaining 1 tablespoon milk.

Bake loaves at 350'F. until light golden-brown and wood pick inserted in center comes out dry, 35-40 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 2 (6") loaves, about 8 servings.

Each serving contains about: 399 calories; 143 milligrams sodium; 107 milligrams cholesterol; 19 grams fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 0.54 gram fiber.

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