Bussolà of Burano, also called buranello, is an exquisite dessert typical of the Venetian lagoon.

It is a donut-shaped biscuit, rich in egg yolks and flavored with vanilla.

There is also a variant, in which the dough is given the shape of an S, called precisely the Esse of Burano or Essi of Burano.

This shape makes them perfect for mogiar (dipping) in sweet wine.

For the inhabitants of Burano , bussolà is a dessert that is prepared during the Easter period.

There is an ancient custom that still sees the islander ladies go to the local bakery ovens – pastry shops, to have the Bussolà cooked at home.

Those Bussolà will then be given to family members for Easter.

Cooking in bakers’ ovens helps to make the taste and fragrance of these biscuits inimitable..

Another thing that makes Bussolà unique is its size.

In Burano they are prepared in an artisanal way, and are no smaller than the palm of a hand.

You can buy them all year round.

But if you don’t live near Venice and you want to try them, prepare them at home with us.

The recipe that I propose is that of a dear family friend, a professional cook and Buranello Doc.

At the bottom of the page you will also find the variant he recommended.

At this point … get the recipe !

How to prepare Bussolà of Burano:

First we put the butter out of the fridge several hours before using it.

It will have to become super soft, but not melt.

Put the flour in a large bowl, create a hollow and pour in the sugar, butter and herbs.

We begin to mix the butter with the sugar.

Then add the yolks and the egg little by little, which we will have beaten lightly with a pinch of salt.

When the dough has become consistent, turn it over on the lightly floured work surface, and knead it by hand.

Until you get a soft and smooth dough that does not stick to your fingers.

Divide the pasta in half and give it the shape of two sausages.

We cover with plastic wrap and let it cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

We cut the pasta sausages into pieces all of the same size.

For medium-sized cakes, we use 40 grams of dough and form a loaf of about 20 cm.

Let’s close it then creating the classic donut shape.

If we also want to make some large Buranello, like the traditional ones.

Then we will need about 100 grams of dough.

We form a cylinder of 30-35 cm, and close it by slightly overlapping the ends of dough.

Place the donuts on baking sheets covered with parchment paper and leave in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

We put the bussolà in the oven:

Preheat the oven to 180 ° in static mode, bake the 40 g biscuits for about 20-25 minutes.

Large ones will need a few more minutes of cooking.

When the biscuits are slightly golden on the surface, and the bottom is golden brown.

Let’s take them out of the oven.

When they cool down they will take on the right consistency.

These cookies can be stored for a long time.

Paolone’s advice:

The Burano cook recommends using 6 whole eggs, instead of 11 yolks + 1 whole egg, to have lighter and equally tasty biscuits.

If you do not have vanilla bean, Rum and a lemon with edible peel at home.

Use the flavoring vials for cakes in these proportions.

1 Rum flavoring fillet, 1 Vanilla flavoring fillet and 1 Lemon flavoring vial .

Do you like regional specialties? Then take a look at the Castelli Romani wine donuts .

And if you like, take a look at Paolone’s Youtube channel too … Thanks friends! 😉