Black Cherry Strucà from Pasticceria Filippi

Panettone-Style Cake with Olive Oil & Candied Cherries

In a delicious melding of time-honored methods and fresh ingredients, this panettone-style Strucà all'Amarena is made with the Filippi family’s 40-year-old yeast starter, plus free-range eggs, real vanilla bean seeds and fine extra virgin olive oil instead of butter. The result is an incredibly moist, rich and sweet-smelling loaf studded with candied black cherries.

To bring out the wonderful olive oil aroma, warm your Strucà for five minutes in a 350°F oven. Then do as the Italians do and serve the cake at the end of the meal along with glasses of sparkling wine, torrone, chocolates, dried fruit and nuts in the shell for everyone to crack at the table. Or make it modern with panettone-style French toast for brunch.