Molise — throughout the region. Panonta is documented in Molisano rural records from the 18th century as the standard working bread of the mountain interior. The name (greased bread) describes its technique directly.
Panonta (from pane (bread) and unto (greased)) is the traditional enriched flatbread of Molise: a simple bread dough generously enriched with lard, seasoned with salt and coarsely cracked black pepper, sometimes flavoured with fennel seeds or dried rosemary, and baked in a wood-fired oven until the exterior is golden and slightly blistered and the interior is soft and fragrant with lard. It is both a table bread and a travelling bread — the lard enrichment extended its shelf life to several days, making it the bread that Molisano shepherds and farm workers carried on journeys. It is eaten plain, with prosciutto, or with the local sheep cheeses.
Panonta warm from the oven smells of lard, black pepper, and yeast — the exterior has a light, golden crust that gives under pressure; the interior is soft, slightly flaky, and rich. The black pepper is present at every bite. With a slice of local capicola and a piece of aged Pecorino, it is the Molisano shepherd's lunch, unchanged for centuries.
Standard bread dough (flour, water, yeast, salt) to which lard is incorporated: 100g lard per 500g flour — the lard is worked into the flour before adding water (the Molisano method), or added at the end of kneading (the more common approach). The dough is enriched but not sweet. Season with coarsely cracked black pepper and optionally fennel seeds. Shape into a flat round (2cm thick) or small oval rolls. Allow to proof 1 hour. Bake in a very hot oven (240-250°C) for 20-25 minutes until golden and fragrant. The lard enrichment produces a slightly crispy exterior and a yielding, almost cake-like interior.
The best panonta is baked in a wood-fired oven where the atmospheric humidity is low and the heat intense — the oven-floor contact produces a slightly crispy bottom. The fennel seed addition is the most traditional for the Campobasso area; rosemary is used more in the Isernia province variant. Eat warm — the lard's fragrance is most pronounced when hot.
Cold lard — lard must be soft for proper incorporation; cold lard creates lumps. Too much lard — beyond 100g/500g flour, the bread becomes greasy and doesn't hold its structure. Under-proofing — the lard slows fermentation; allow adequate rise time. Baking at too-low temperature — the lard needs high heat to produce the characteristic crispy exterior.
Slow Food Editore, Molise in Cucina; Carol Field, The Italian Baker