Porto Empedocle Vigata Tasty Buns
( Focaccine Porto Empedocline - Mignulati e Nmiscati )
La Valle dei Tempi, Temples’ Valley, where there are many Greek temples, is located in a territory between Porto Empedocle Vigata and Agrigento. It is a valley that gently slopes towards the sea, where among the abundant Greek monuments, archeologists are continuously restoring and uncovering new evidence of Greek art and architecture.
The mild temperature of the Akragas region, which is the area around Agrigento, makes it possible to celebrate the Festa del Mandorlo in Fiore that is the Almond Blossom Festival at the beginning of every February, when the trees burst into a pinkish bloom.
These tasty buns are small noshes: the mignulati are small focacce made with sausage meat and cheese, rolled up in thin bread dough. The ‘nmiscati are stuffed with olives and scallions. The word mignulati derives from mignon, meaning “small,” and in fact, the mignulati are small buns; ‘nmiscati means “mixed” because they are made with a combination of two ingredients, although some add other vegetables instead of the usual scallions.
The preparation of this snack does not require much effort, it offers tasty bread combined with condiments, it stays fresh for a few days, it does not require refrigeration: these are the reasons why this nutritious snack is often prepared and taken to picnics, the beach, parties and baked for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Not only can they be made ahead of time, but they can be served either warm or cold. Our friends, the Trapani family, originally from Porto Empedocle Vigata, bake them quite often. Most of the time, we are invited to share and enjoy these special delicacies over a glass of wine and a good, friendly conversation.
- Serving Size8
- Baked DelicaciesMignulati e Nmiscati (Porto Empedocle Style)
Ingredients
For the Dough (Alternatively, you can buy 2 lb of bread dough at your local Italian bakery)
- 2 lb flour
- 2 oz fresh active yeast or 3 envelopes of dry yeast
- Pinch of salt
- Water
The Stuffing for Mignulati
- 2 lbs Sicilian style pork sausages (no skin)
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 cup grated Caciocavallo or pecorino cheese
- Salt and pepper
- Optional: red pepper
The Stuffing for ‘Nmiscati
- 1 ½ lbs pitted oil cured black olives
- 2 cups scallions, finely sliced or 3 medium onions, finely chopped
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 cup grated Caciocavallo or pecorino cheese
- Salt and pepper
- Optional: red pepper
Instructions
Dough Preparation: In a bowl, mix ½ cup of warm water with the yeast. Add ½ cup of flour and mix until it is well blended and a soft dough is formed. If it is too dry, add some water; if it is too watery, add some flour. Set aside, covered, in a warm place. After 45 minutes to 1 hour, combine the risen dough with the remaining flour, add some lukewarm water and a pinch of salt and knead to obtain an elastic dough similar to bread dough. Make a ball, cut across the top to allow it to rise again, cover and put in a warm place until it almost doubles in size, 1 to 2 hours.
The Assembly: When dough is ready, preheat oven to 375F, grease a baking pan and split dough into 2 pieces. Briefly knead each piece and roll one piece at a time, leaving the unrolled piece covered. Dust working surface with flour and place dough in center. With a rolling pin, flatten the dough to ¼ of an inch thick. Evenly spread ½ the stuffing on top of either the sausages or the olives and scallions. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle uniformly with ½ of the grated cheese and top with some salt, black pepper and/or the optional peperoncino, red pepper. Start to roll up from one end into a spiral, folding dough like a jelly roll. Cut log into 1 ½-inch-wide pieces, and as you place each piece in the baking pan, with oiled hands, lightly round and seal each piece and place cut side up.
The Baking: Bake at 400F for 20 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown.