Brigidini di Lamporecchio are sweet Tuscan wafers, thin and crisp, made from a dough of flour, eggs, sugar and aniseed and cooked between two hot iron plates. They are golden, with an unmistakable aniseed aroma, and come from the town of Lamporecchio, in the province of Pistoia, and from Tuscan fairs and village festivals.
In this article you’ll find the brigidini recipe for about 40 wafers, with quantities, the right dough consistency, cooking with a wafer iron and the pan alternative, their history and recognition as a traditional product, variations and how to keep them crisp.
Recipe card
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Preparation | 20 minutes |
| Cooking | 40 minutes (about 1 minute per wafer, in batches) |
| Resting | 30 minutes (dough in the fridge) |
| Total time | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Servings | About 40 brigidini |
| Category | Dessert / biscuit |
| Cuisine | Tuscan (Pistoia) |
| Cooking method | Cooked on a hot iron (wafer iron) |
Ingredients for about 40 brigidini
- 250 g type 00 flour
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 3 medium eggs (about 165 g)
- 2 teaspoons aniseed (about 6 g)
- 1 pinch of salt
- Vegetable oil for greasing the plates, to taste
The aniseed. It is the defining flavour of brigidini. Tradition uses green aniseed, whole or lightly crushed in a mortar to release its aroma. Star anise has a different, stronger flavour.
The dough. It contains no fat and no raising agent: it is soft and sticky, tackier than shortcrust. Resting it in the fridge makes it easier to divide into balls.
How to make brigidini
- Prepare the aniseed. Lightly crush the aniseed in a mortar, without grinding it to a powder.
- Whisk eggs and sugar. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar, salt and aniseed for 2-3 minutes, until the sugar has partly dissolved.
- Add the flour. Work in the flour a little at a time, first with a spoon and then by hand, until you have a soft, smooth, sticky dough. If it is too soft to handle, add a spoonful of flour, sparingly.
- Rest. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for 30 minutes.
- Shape the balls. With lightly floured hands, divide the dough into hazelnut-sized balls of about 12 g each.
- Heat the iron. Heat the wafer iron (or an electric thin-wafer maker) well and grease it very lightly with oil wiped on with kitchen paper.
- Cook the wafers. Place a ball in the centre of the plate, close it pressing firmly and cook for about 40-60 seconds per side with a stovetop iron, or until evenly golden. The wafer should be very thin.
- Cool. Lift the brigidino off with a spatula and cool it on a wire rack: it turns crisp within seconds. For the traditional wavy or folded shape, shape it as soon as it comes off the iron, while still soft.
Without a wafer iron. Flatten each ball between two sheets of baking paper with the bottom of a small pan or a rolling pin to 1-2 mm thick. Cook it in a very hot non-stick pan, without fat, for 1-2 minutes per side, until golden. The result is smooth, without the typical pattern.
History and tradition of brigidini
Brigidini are tied to Lamporecchio, in the province of Pistoia, and their production is traced back to the Renaissance. The most widely told legend credits the nuns of a convent dedicated to Saint Bridget (Santa Brigida): a mixture of eggs and sugar made by mistake, or so as not to waste the ingredients, was flavoured with aniseed and cooked like communion wafers, between two irons. Hence the name. It is an oral tradition, not a documented fact.
For centuries brigidini were cooked by hand on hot irons and sold at fairs and village festivals, where they are still made in front of visitors today. The Brigidino di Lamporecchio is listed among the Traditional Agri-food Products (PAT) of Tuscany; in 2021 its listing was updated to define the original recipe, based on flour, eggs, sugar and aniseed.
Practical tips
- Make a test wafer. The first one lets you adjust heat and timing: if it colours too fast, lower the heat; if it stays pale, cook it longer.
- Keep the balls small. Too much dough gives thick wafers that stay soft in the middle instead of turning crisp.
- Cool them in the open air. Moisture is the enemy of brigidini: don’t stack them while hot and keep them away from steam.
- Grease sparingly. A thin film of oil every 4-5 wafers is enough: too much fat makes them greasy and changes their colour.
Variations and storage
Variations
Some recipes use icing sugar instead of granulated sugar for a smoother dough, or add a spoonful of anise liqueur. You can pair or replace the aniseed with cinnamon, or swap a spoonful of flour for unsweetened cocoa for a dark version. Once cool, brigidini can also be half-dipped in melted dark chocolate.
Storage
They keep for a long time in a tightly closed tin, away from heat, light and moisture, for 2-3 weeks. If they lose their crispness, put them in the oven at 150 °C (300 °F) for 2-3 minutes and cool them on a wire rack.
Frequently asked questions about brigidini
What is the difference between brigidini and pizzelle?
Both are wafers cooked between two plates, but pizzelle from central and southern Italy usually contain a fat, such as oil or butter, and often a raising agent. Traditional brigidini are made only with flour, eggs, sugar and aniseed and are thinner and more brittle.
Can I use a waffle maker?
A classic waffle maker is too deep and makes thick wafers. You need a thin-wafer iron, like those for pizzelle or ice-cream cones, or the pan method described above.
Why are my brigidini staying soft?
They are usually too thick or undercooked. Use smaller balls, press the iron firmly and cook until evenly golden. Then cool them in the open air, not in a closed container.
More Tuscan biscuits and festival sweets
Among Tuscany’s dry biscuits are almond cantucci, baked twice, and ricciarelli from Siena, soft and flourless. For an autumn sweet from the peasant tradition there is castagnaccio. To discover Tuscan baking by making it together, the cooking classes at Orto San Frediano in Florence are a good place to start.
