The 'GUBANA' of Friuli region in Italy

  The ‘ Gubana’ is one of more representative agricultural food of Friuli (region of Central Europa) because Gubana born, many centuries ago, in its oriental side in close contact with the slav culture and with the germanic cooking too: in fact Gubana and Strudel clearly belong to the same family.
  On the other hand, the common concept of filled with fruit and baked pastry in the Gubana give concrete with more precious components and in more elaborate form, which all make unique (jointly to the ‘cousin’ Putizza, below described) this typical cake of Friuli.
  On the technical plane, the Gubana is formed with a roll of pastry filled with dried fruit and enveloped like snail. The pastry is leavened and half-soft. The filling, not hard and crumbly (at least the 40% of total weight) is distinguished, essentially and under obligation, for (in decreasing quantities): walnuts, raisins, pine-nuts, lemon, vanilla. The Producers may add, if they want, almonds or hazelnuts, distillates (grappa or sliwovitz and rhum) and flavourings (cocoa, orange peel).
  There it is also the ‘linear’ Gubana (named ‘gubanotto’ or ‘gubanetta’), which is not enveloped and with less weight (in the photos, the whole Gubana of Dorbolò firm and the filling in a slice of Giuditta Teresa firm)

  For centuries the people have believed that the Gubana was only a sweet for important days, but today the modern dietology has discovered the great healthy charge of Gubana’s filling, so this cake can be considered a proper nourishment, precious at all ages.

  Unlike most italian typical sweets, the several and very noble food-stuffs of Gubana are very important for people who will stay a long time young and strong: walnuts, raisins, pine-nuts, hazelnuts contains really a lot of active principles and minerals anti-ageing, anti-cholesterol, anti-inflammations, anti-wrinkles and, moreover, they are tonic for the heart, muscles, brain, and generally stimulating.

  The Gubana has few fats, is very digestible and does not contain any additive. Therefore is recommended for all ages, and above all for very active adults and elderly persons

The typical cake Gubana may be produced (actually without Dop or Jgp marks) in whole region Friuli Venezia Giulia at condition that is observed the basic recipe above described (and contained in the ERSA’s ‘Disciplinare dei Prodotti Alimentari Tradizionali’).
 
  But it is due to signal that, really, there exist some appreciable differences between the Gubana made in the Natisone Valley, where the Gubana is born, and some Gubana made in the rest of the region (named by us ‘di pianura’: ‘'of the plain’ ).

  The Gubana of the Natisone Valley maintains the original ingredients’ richness and processing care, exactly because the local people, who created and continues to eat usually it, expects the total observance of the tradition.
 

  Besides the Gubana of the Valley excels for a bigger quantity of walnuts and pine-nuts in the filling and for an external part more rich and accurate. The interested area (red coloured in the map) includes all Municipal districts of Natisone’s Valley and the Cividale town as regards the Producers who has moved to the town from the Valley continuing to observe the own families recipes (in Cividale, to be precise, it is produced also the ‘gubana cividalese’).

Recommended Producers of the Gubana in Natisone Valley DORBOLO’ Gubane, confectionery producer with shop-bar-tasting open all days, SAN PIETRO al Natisone 33049 UD, via Alpe- Adria 81 (main street), tel.0432-727052 fax.0432-727770 www.gubane.net / Classic gubana, gubana with walnuts, gubanetto, strucchi and other typical sweets / Forwarding anywhere in the world GIUDITTA TERESA of Chiabai Silvana, SAN PIETRO al Natisone 33049 UD, loc.Azzida via Algida 43, tel./fax.0432-727681 www.giudittateresa.com / Gubana-gubanza, 'cuor di gubana', strucchi, gubana trunk and other typical sweets (new: the 'colombana')/ Open from tuesday to saturday 8.30-12.30/15-19.30, sunday 9-12.30/15-19.30 / Forwarding anywhere in the world GUBANA CEDARMAS of Dennis Blasutig, Pulfero 3306 UD, loc.Loch 45, tel./fax.0432-726287  www.cedarmas.com / Traditional and creative sweets of the Natisone Valley : Gubana (classic and little trunk), Strucchi, Celtic Focaccia, Bear Sweet, Goblin Bread, Rose of Pulfero / Open in the morning and in the afternoon from wednesday to sunday    Tasting Point of the Natisone Valley's Gubana DORBOLO’ Gubane, produttore dolciario con negozio-bar-degustazione sempre aperto, SAN PIETRO al Natisone 33049 UD, via Alpe- Adria 81 (via principale), tel.0432-727052 fax.0432-727770  www.gubane.net / Gubana classica, gubana alle noci, gubanetto, 'cuor di castagna' , strucchi e altri dolci tipici

The 'STRUCCHI' Small sweets with the same filling of the Gubana: they have a particular flavour because they are, by tradition, fried not baked. Strucchi can be considered the ‘snack’ version of the Gubana and are made by the same Producers of it.

Cake very similar to the gubana, in the look too, named ‘Putizza’ is made in the provinces of Gorizia and Trieste (yellow coloured in the map). The leavened pastry is more soft and elastic; in the filling there also are almonds and orange at Gorizia, honey and chocolate at Trieste; the distillates are preferably sweet spirits.

In Trieste we have the Presnitz, exclusively local cake which has the same filling of Gubana but rolled in puff pastry like thin strudel but in circular shape. It should be noted that in Gorizia they produce a cake very similar to the Presnitz but named ‘Gubana goriziana’.