Mount Matajur, also known as Monte Re (king mountain), is the mountain nearest to Cividale and it has always marked the border between different countries, Italy and Slovenia in the present, Italy and the Austrian territory in the past. Here, in the eastern part of our region, languages and traditions have always blended together and a sweet product of this encounter of cultures is Gubana, the sweet that most of all symbolises Cividale. This dessert was born in the Natisone valleys and in the city of Cividale, and it was traditionally eaten during religious holidays like Eastern and Christmas. Baked in the oven, this bread- like sweet has a typical coiled shape and it is filled with walnuts, pine nuts, raisins, sugar and even grappa (a really strong alcoholic beverage used as a digestive). Its name comes from the Slovenian word “guba” which means fold, and it is thought to be the friulian version of the Slovenian sweet “Potizza”. Gubana dates back to the XII century, when it was mentioned as one of the sweets offered during a visit of the Pope in 1409. The traditional recipe is as follows:

For the dough:220g flour 60g butter 50g sugar 20g honey 40g milk 1 egg + 30g of yolk 10g brewer’s yeast 2g salt

For the filling:140g walnuts 60g sugar 60g raisins 40g amaretti 30g biscuits 30g pine nuts 20g butter Half a lemon Rum Grappa Salt Egg white

Buon appetito! Happy baking…