Ravazzate are yet another great street food dish from Palermo, in Sicily.  They are soft buns, filled with a thick and delicious meat sauce, covered in sesame seeds and then baked.  I love them!  Among all sorts of fried (yet amazing) street food items to choose from, these never fail to be among the items I choose.  The bun recipe can be used for many different fillings (even sweet ones), so it is definitely a keeper to make and remake, experimenting with it.  This, however, is a traditional recipe and it is part of my Sicilian Street Food New Year’s Eve Party 24×24 event!  Enjoy!

For the meat sauce filling – recipe adapted from Ricette di Sicilia

Ingredients:
200 gms – 7 oz. beef mince
200 gms – 7 oz. pork mince
1 onion, diced
100 gms – 3.5 oz. tomato concentrate
50 gms – 1.75 oz. Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ glass white wine
Salt and Pepper

Put the diced onion and extra virgin olive oil in a pot and sauté it until soft (1).  Add the beef and pork mince (2) and brown well, breaking all the lumps with a wooden spoon.  Add the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate (3).  Add the salt, pepper, bay leaves, cloves, tomato concentrate (4) and ½ glass of water.  Cook it for 30 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.  Add the finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano (5) and set aside to cool down (6).

For the buns – recipe adapted from Ricette di Sicilia

Ingredients:
1 kg – 2 lb. flour
500 ml – 2 cups lukewarm water
100 gms – 3.5 oz. lard
100 gms – 3.5 oz. sugar
20 gms – 0.7 oz. salt
14 gms – 1/2 oz. dry yeast

Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water together with 1 tbsp of the sugar.  Set it aside to activate.

In the meantime, put the remaining sugar, flour, salt and lard in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Once the yeast and water mixture has become frothy, add it to the bowl.  Knead well until you obtain a smooth and pliable dough.  Let it rise for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.

How to assemble the Ravazzate

Divide the dough in smaller balls about the size of a mandarin (1).  Flatten them with a rolling pin.  Place a heaped tablespoon of filling in the centre of the dough circle (2). Then gather the edges and seal your bun (3).  Put it upside down on a baking tray covered with baking paper (4).  Press the top with your thumb to create a small indentation (5).  Brush with some egg wash (made with 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp of water) and sprinkle with sesame seeds (6).

Bake in a pre heated oven at 200°C – 390°F for 7 – 8 minutes, or until golden brown.

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