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Pinza triestina is an orange flavored brioche type Italian bread can be eaten any time of day.
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5 from 21 votes

Pinza Triestina

A delicious egg bread that is like a brioche but not quite as sweet or rich. It is good eaten any time and typically it is made for Easter morning.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Rising Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 55 minutes
Course: bread, Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 20 slices
Calories: 3312kcal

Ingredients

Dough Starter

  • ¾ cup 100 g Unbleached bread flour
  • ½ cup 100 g water -- don't use tap water with the chlorine taste in it
  • 4 teaspoons 16 g active dry yeast

For the Dough

  • 2 ½ cups 300 g All-purpose flour or 00 style even better
  • cup 135 g butter at room temperature - separated
  • ¾ cup 160 g white sugar- separated will need ⅔ cup (120 g) to start off with ⅔ cup (120 g) sugar
  • teaspoon 2 g kosher or sea salt
  • 4 egg yolks and 1 whole egg
  • 1 Orange zested
  • 1 lemon zested

For Brushing on top

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 Tablespoons 20 g whole milk

Instructions

  • For the dough starter, sift the flour in a bowl and whisk in the dried yeast. Pour in the water and knead briefly. The dough will be sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in volume - about 1 to 2 hours.
  • Put the dough starter in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer then the whole egg, ⅔ cup (120 g) sugar and 1 ½ cups (200 g) of the flour and begin to knead with the dough hook. As soon as the dough starts to collect on the hook add ¼ cup (65 g) soft butter and continue to knead with the mixer. Knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface until smooth. Place in a vegetable oil sprayed plastic container and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for another two hours. Put the dough back into the mixer's bowl and add the egg yolks, the remaining ¼ cup (40 g) of sugar, grated lemon and orange peel, the remaining ¾ cup (100 g) of all-purpose flour and mix for another 7 to 10 minutes, long enough to knead the additional ingredients in. The dough will cleanly come off the sides of the bowl. Add the rest of the ⅓ cup (75 g) butter a little at a time. When it is incorporated transfer the dough on to a work surface and divide into two halves, about 400 grams each.
  • Form the dough into tight balls by smoothing the dough from the top of the dough down and rotating as you do this. Put these two tight balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper then let the dough rise for 2 hours more. The dough will rise. With a knife cut a large cross into the dough. The four points on the cross will almost touch the tray. Do this quickly making sure you don't drag the dough while you cut it or go too far into the dough. You are basically scoring it. Brush the surface of both pizzas with the beaten egg yolk and milk.

To Bake

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. check after 25 minutes; tent with aluminum foil if it appears to be browning too quickly. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. The pinza should be a deep brown when done and it should read 195 F at the center using an instant read thermometer. (It's easy to undertake, since it browns so quickly) Remove from oven and let cool on rack.

Notes

  • This bread is soft but firm and goes well with Easter cold cuts like ham and also with chocolate or jam. You could even put fresh strawberries over it.
  • The Pinza Triestina can be kept covered for 2-3 days or freeze for later use.

Nutrition

Calories: 3312kcal | Carbohydrates: 440g | Protein: 70g | Fat: 143g | Saturated Fat: 80g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 52g | Trans Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1401mg | Sodium: 932mg | Sugar: 123g