One of the best difficult things in the gastronomic world is the match between food and wine. The purpose of this union is to get the perfect balance between flavors, providing the taster a remarkable experience.

For this reason, we want to share with you some recipes paired with Volognano’s wines, enhancing your culinarian skills and warm you up this season with some traditional Italian recipes.

We selected one of the most famous Italian recipes for this winter: panettone. Look how to make one of it on the following steps:

Ingredients.
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp dry yeast
• 1/2 cup milk
• 6 tbsp melted butter
• zest from 1 orange and from 1 lemon
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2/3 cup golden raisins
• 1/3 cup chopped candied orange peel
• 2 tsp orange flavored liqueur

Instructions.
1. Pour milk in a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it. Stir and cover. Let it sit for 7-8 minutes.
2. Pour hot water over the raisins. Let them soak for 15 minutes.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together 3 eggs, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, orange liqueur, lemon zest and orange zest. Add the milk yeast mixture, the flour and salt. Mix for 4- 5 minutes, then add the melted butter and mix until combined. Add the raisins and candied orange peel. Mix to combine.
4. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Set aside.
5. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and shape into a ball. Place in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 – 1 and 1/2 hours, until it doubles its size.
6. Spray a 7-8 onch panettone mold with cooking spray.
7. After the dough has risen, dump it onto a floured surface and shape into a ball. Transfer to the mold. Cut a cross on top and brush with some melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for one more hour, until it doubles (almost triples) its size.
8. Preheat oven to 175° C. Place the panettone mold on a baking sheet. Brush with egg wash (egg + 1 tbsp water) and bake for 40 -45 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean and the top is golden brown. In the process of baking, if the panettone starts to brown too quickly, you can cover it with foil, to prevent burning.
9. Transfer to a wire rack and let it cool completely. Store tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.

Pairing. This recipe matches perfectly with Volognano´s sweet Tuscan wine Aetius. The sweet taste of the panettone with the sweet notes of fig and prune of Aetius, create the perfect balance for the end of the meal.