A trip to Italy also provides the opportunity to taste typical Piedmontese dishes. And how to start if not with one of the most loved Italian desserts in the world?We are talking about the Bunet casserole, typical of the Bel Paese. But where to eat this particular dessert? To taste the original Bunet you have to go to Piedmont, the region where the roots of this winter dessert reside.
The origins of the Bunet casserole
As we said, the Bunet casserole dessert is among the typical Piedmontese dishes. The tradition of Piedmontese Food & Wine tells us that Bunet takes its name from the particular copper mold in which it was cooked. The shape recalls that of a hat, which in the dialect of Piedmont is said to be precisely a bonet. This is one of the official interpretations, which is also given by the Piedmontese / Italian vocabulary of Vittorio di Sant’Albino of 1859.
However, there is another interpretation that links the etymological origin to the hat, but for the following reason: the dessert is served at the end of the meal. In fact, like the hat, the last item of clothing that you put on before going out, so Bonet is eaten last before you finish your lunch or dinner.
Whatever the true etymological meaning, we can say that this dessert, characterized by the deep taste of chocolate, flavored with the taste of amaretti, enriched by the scent of rum, will be a welcome touch to the end of any meal.
The ancient recipe of the Piedmontese Bunet
In restaurants, where the principle of tradition is sacred, Bunet is still prepared following the ancient technique. One way to understand if the original recipe has been used is to make sure that Fernet has been used instead of rum, an Italian bitter ideal for speeding up digestion. The preparation of the dessert reminds that of Crème brûlée. In fact, cold eggs, milk, sugar, amaretti, Fernet and possibly cocoa are beaten together.
Mix all the ingredients together, the mixture will be put directly on the heat inside the mold where the pudding will be cooked. The sugar is poured in, covering the bottom and sides, so as to caramelize well and everything is cooked in a bain-marie until it is firm.
In which Piedmontese restaurant can you taste the original Bunet?
Should you notice any variations compared to the recipe that we have proposed, this does not necessarily mean that you are not in front of the original Bunet. Often, in fact, the dessert has undergone revisitations, which we can define as enrichments, since every town in Piedmont inserts some typical ingredients. In some cases it will indeed be possible to find hazelnuts or other dried fruit. However, if you find yourself in this beautiful region, we invite you to taste the Bunet casserole in the San Marco restaurant, known and appreciated for a typical hand made menu of Piedmontese dishes.
Food & Wine: What is the best combination?
Here we recommend to pair it with some wines in particular, such as Alta Langa, rosé sparkling wine with a particular hint of yeast, bread crust and vanilla and Monferrato Chiaretto (or Ciaret), a typical dessert wine.