HIS MAJESTY THE PLIERS. Traditional and typical Easter cake, of which it would be good to pass on the custom. I learned it by watching my father but, above all, by tasting him. In turn, I wanted to repeat this ritual, and find "that" flavor again. Therefore, today I propose again, by popular demand, his recipe and explanation; At this stage I would leave out the photographs: they can present problems for opening the file. The Pinza is the main component of the Easter morning snack, immediately after its blessing during the Holy Mass, where each family brought "its" Pinza. After the Sacrament, however, it ended up festively on the table where, with prosciutto and wine (usually Istrian), with hard-boiled eggs and "scalognette" (fresh spring onion), the conviviality of the reunited family began. THE RECIPE – WHAT YOU NEED Flour > 1 Kg (I prefer "Type 0") Brewer's yeast > 100 gr Eggs, yolks > 6 (plus 1 for coloring) Eggs, egg whites > 2 Milk to taste, about > 200 gr Butter > 200 GR Sugar > 300 gr (don't forget a pinch of salt) Grated orange > 1 (large, edible peel) Grated lemon > 1 (large edible peel) Rum > 60 grPROCESSINGAth the dessert is the result of several work phases, just follow the explanation carefully, and don't get angry in case of mistakes: the dough always follows "its" logic, which NEVER coincides with ours (haste, inexperience, carelessness). Two fundamental attentions to observe: NO to drafts, NO to haste! Prepare all the ingredients, to have them at hand.1^ phase - duration 60/70 minutes, then there are about two hours free. In a large pot, containing a little warm milk, dissolve the yeast, add a tablespoon of sugar, a tablespoon of oil, about ten tablespoons of flour, to obtain a fairly homogeneous and soft mixture; Cover with a lid. Prepare the eggs, without whipping the egg whites, in the quantities described in the recipe. The other egg whites will no longer be used. Wash the citrus fruits carefully, then grate them; put them in a container (e.g. a medium pot) in which you will place the sugar and rum, stirring briefly. To this preparation you will need to add the butter, softened, in the remaining milk, mixing everything. In the mixture that was rising, add the eggs, yolks and whites, mix briefly, add the mixture of herbs and sugar and a little flour; Mix everything in order to obtain a dough that works well with a wooden spoon, and that is not too liquid (such as a soft mashed potato). The other flour will be placed on the pastry board, properly enlarged to accommodate the mixture of the pot, like a large crater. Now start working to get the final dough; Know that at the beginning the mixture you will pour will tend to "escape" from all sides so, without getting confused, with a spatula begin to incorporate the flour from the edge, and continue to work, now only by hand, until the dough no longer sticks to the pastry board. A precaution: the dough must/should be "light" to work, not "hard", (usually the desserts were made by women, and the consistency of the dough suitable for female hands). If the dough is a little more consistent, it will lengthen the rising time, but nothing else will happen. However, you need to work patiently, for about twenty minutes, and feel the dough soften under your hands. Sprinkle the pastry board with a thin layer of flour, place the dough (which will be formed into a ball), cover with one or two cotton towels and put it to rest. Here it makes the second leavening, and when the mixture doubles, or more, its volume will move on to the next phase.2^ phase - duration 30/40 minutes, then there are two/three hours free. It is necessary to knead the dough a second time, about twenty minutes, and it must be done carefully (even if this happens naturally) to reabsorb the "skin" that has formed during leavening. Then we will proceed with the size, if necessary (1 kg of flour = 2 Pinze); Each piece will be reworked for a moment, in order to give it its rounded shape, and will be placed on baking paper or in the baking pan. Everything covered again, to make the third leavening.3^ phase - duration 80/90 minutes (referring to 2 Pincers)Warning: Work and cut ONE Tongs at a time, baking immediately. If it rises too much, it may grow less strongly in the oven. When the pieces have doubled their volume, they are to be baked for cooking; first, however, the last processing is necessary. In a cup put an egg yolk and add a little milk, stirring (the right consistency is that of nail polish), then brush it all over the Tongs, not just "above", only at this point will the characteristic "cuts" be made, using scissors and making the cut in depth, not only on the surface. For cooking, as a guide, I adjust to 180 ° for 40 minutes. The test of correct cooking is done with a wooden stick (those for skewers), reaching the center of the cake, from which it must come out dry.; if this is not the case, just bring to 140 ° and leave another 5/10 minutes. If it tends to color too much, during cooking, the Pinza can be covered with a sheet of foil. Remember that every mistake teaches, and success perhaps does not. In all cases I have tried not to make you make the mistakes I have made over time. Come on, what are you waiting for?
Turin, Easter 2022, Vieri Cvetnich