Schiaccia Briaca
The "tipsy one" — Elba's iconic dessert

Dry pastry flatbread enriched with raisins, pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, candied fruit and Aleatico wine from Elba. Its origins date back to the era of pirate raids: the original recipe combined Middle-Eastern dried fruits and did not contain alcohol (in respect of Islamic rules). The addition of Aleatico is later and gave it the name briaca (tipsy). The red colour of the surface does not come from baking but from Alchermes, the crimson liqueur the dough is soaked in and finished with: the Capoliveri version, which does not use it, is noticeably paler.

Ingredients

• Flour 1 kg
• Sugar 500 g
• Raisins 200 g
• Chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts) 300 g
• Pine nuts to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil 200 ml
• Aleatico wine from Elba to taste
• Alchermes 3 small glasses
• Baking powder
• Granulated sugar for the top

Method

1. Soak the raisins in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain them well.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, chopped nuts, raisins, oil, Aleatico and one small glass of Alchermes. Work the dough as little as possible: overworking makes it hard.
3. Spread it in a greased round tin lined with baking paper, about 2 cm thick.
4. Scatter pine nuts and raisins on top, sprinkle over the two remaining glasses of Alchermes mixed with two spoons of oil, then dust with granulated sugar.
5. Bake at 180° for 40-50 minutes. Let it cool before serving: it keeps for a long time at room temperature.