Summertime feasts are now in full swing. Food festivals and religious festivals of all kinds are being
celebrated everywhere in the world.  One in particular is celebrated on June 13..it's the feast of St.
Anthony of Padua, a Franciscan who tended to the poor, lectured and educated, went on missions to
bring his message of peace.  He died in the 12th century and in the Catholic world he is one of the
most popular of it's Saints.  Born in Portugal, he spent most of his teaching life in Italy and is highly
venerated all through that country.  Many towns in the south of Italy have a tradition where they erect
large altars in his honor, and Panini di Sant'Antonio (St.Anthony's bread/rolls) are given out to remem-
ber his feeding of the poor, spiritually and physically.  Not trying to win any converts here, but for those
who are not of the same faith as St. Anthony, the baking and giving of these breads is a very interesting
Italian cultural tradtion.   My church, Our Lady of Mt.Carmel in Asbury Park always distributes these
rolls out on St.Anthony's Day as do many churches.  This year my sister invited me to a local family's
home where they erect one of those ancient "altars" in St.Anthony's honor and open there home to
visitors and devotees of St.Anthony for refreshments and prayer.  An amazing undertaking, especially
since it is a replication of the celebration that takes place in the town in Italy where the wife of the family
comes from, Grumo Appula, near Bari, in Puglia, Southern Italy.  What a gracious host she was, along
with her husband as they offered the visitors various treats...  Traditional items from
Grumo Appula were served, a tiny Struffoli like biscottini mixed with roasted chicke peas (how cool
is that?), fried salted Fava beans...in addition to awesome espresso and Italian Cookies.  The hosts
sent each visitor home with a bag of St.Anthony's Bread.  It really is a treat when you can experience this
type of cultural event.  My foray into St.Anthony's Day consisted of making the Panini del Santo, or
St.Anthony's Bread, which varies from town to town.  I made a recipe up today for it, a basic bread
dough which I sweetened with some sugar, and to me, my most vivid REAL ITALIAN (southern that
Is) food tastes are those of cracked black pepper and fennel seed.  Place that in the same file as
pecorino, provolone, salume, fried cutlets, fried meatballs, simmering sauce, homemade red wine and
you have all the smells/tastes that say Italian to me.  Don't forget the frying peppers...lol.  I don't have
precise measurements for part of this, but I will try to give you the recipe I made today. 
In a bowl, add 1 cup of warm water, 1 packet of quick acting yeast, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 1/2 table-
spoons of cracked black peppercorns, 1/2 tsp. sugar. Let this all dissolve and then let it sit for 15
minutes.  It will become all bubbly and frothy and smell great (very yeasty).  Now start adding 2 cups of
flour, sifted, unbleached preferably,  (bread flour is even better) stirring with a wooden spoon.  Stop when
this flour is fully combined.  Only you can figure this out now...keep adding flour in small batches until
the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl and it's no longer sticky to the touch.  Or keep adding
flour in small amounts until you've achieved the silky working texture you need.  Knead this for 8 minutes.
Then place it into well oiled bowl (make sure you use olive oil) then form it into a fall.
  Now cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and
let it side in a warm spot for 2 hours.  Remove the towel and lightly punch it down.  On a baking sheet
lined with parchment paper, make small 2 1.2 inch balls out of the dough, this should yield around 14.
Roll each ball into a string about 2 inches thick then tie into a knot and form into a little ball.  Lay them
on the baking sheet with about 2 inches between them.  Heat the oven to 475 degrees.


Beat 2 eggs with a little milk or cream and brush this eggwash on top of the rolls.  Then  sprinkle 1/8 tsp.
of fennel seeds in the center of the top.  Bake for 15 minutes, rotating the pan at the 8 minutes mark.
Let them cool on the pan.
  This is what they should look like.  Open
one to test and make sure the've baked through and through.
Let them cool and then serve with olive oil or good butter. It should make around a baker's dozen.



the rolls(Panini) should sound hollow went tapped. 
Best way to eat them?  Dunked in a pot of sauce with meatballs. Like the below picture shows.
Look for those ethnic feasts out there wherever they may be from...you will increase your cooking
tenfold and will enrich you life as well.