Bake Bread for St Anthony

by Grazia Barletta · Published August 22, 2021 · Updated October 4, 2021

Every month Grazia Barletta prepares a recipe from Catholic tradition in her Cape Town kitchen, and shares it with our readers in text and photos taken exclusively for The Southern Cross by the chef herself. This month Grazia Baked: St Anthony’s bread

Saint Anthony of Padua was born in 1195 in Lisbon, Portugal, as Fernando Martins de Bulhões. He entered the nearby Augustinian monastery when he was 15 and later joined the Franciscans, whose order was founded only 11 years earlier. He loved the poor and was a mighty preacher. He died in 1232 in Padua, Italy, where he is entombed in the city’s great basilica.

The story of St Anthony’s bread refers to an episode that happened in Regaldina, near the basilica in Padua. A young mother left her 20-month-old son Thomas alone in the kitchen while she was making bread. When she returned to the kitchen, she found the toddler face-first in a tub of water. She screamed and desperately prayed to St Anthony and vowing that, if her prayers were answered and Thomas survived, she would donate bread to the poor equal to her son’s weight Her prayers were answered and she did just that. Today’s bread is made in St Anthony’s honour.

The legend was furthered by another instance. We all know how frustrating it can be to have to frantically search for a set of keys. A French shopkeeper, Louise Boffier of Toulon, had lost the shop door keys. Like the mother in Padua, she vowed to give bread to the poor if somehow the locksmith could open the bolted door without incident. The miracle happened and she too kept her promise. Louise started a charity dedicated to giving bread to the poor. St Anthony is now best known as the patron saint of lost things.

If ever you can’t find something, say this prayer: “Dear St Anthony, please come around: something is lost, and it cannot be found.”

This recipe can be halved. It’s a soft, sweetish tasting bread that can be made in any shape and size.
Preparation: 160 min • Baking: 20 min
Servings: 8-10
Ingredients:
• 6 cups of flour • ½ cup soft butter
• ½ cup honey • 1 packet instant yeast
• 1 cup warm water • 1 cup warm milk

Preparation:
1. Mix flour, butter and salt in a bowl.
2. Combine the milk, honey, warm water and yeast in a medium bowl. Allow the yeast to prove for 5 minutes. Then add to the flour mixture.
3. Knead the dough for about 3-5 minutes until a smooth ball is formed (see image below)
4. Transfer dough to a work surface and shape into a rectangle about 2,5cm thick. Cut into uniformly sized pieces, and form each piece into a ball.
Another option is to make three long pieces and form a plait with the same rectangle. Or make any shape of your choice.
5. Place your dough balls in a greased round baking tin, giving them a bit of room to rise.
If you have chosen a plait, or another shape, place onto a greased baking sheet.
6. Allow rising for about two hours.
7. Preheat oven to 190°C.
8. Before placing the dough into the oven, brush with a little milk and sprinkle seeds or aniseed on top for a variation.
9. Bake for about 20 minutes. Serve with salted butter.
10. Enjoy with the prayer to St Anthony!

Grazia Barletta is an author, book designer, and food photographer & stylist. She can be contacted at Grazia Barletta’s cookbook Delicious Italian Moments of authentic Italian recipes, with the author’s own photography can be ordered at R200 (plus p&p) at momentswithgrazia.com
Connect with Grazia on Facebook/Instagram: momentswithgrazia

This recipe was published in the July, 2021 issue of The Southern Cross magazine

Subscribe to receive more content like this. There is a range of options – 3,6,12 months and print, digital or a combination subscription to both (for the same price!). Order latest editions or back-copies at R30 (plus R12 p&p) from , or order online for your parish