Typical sweets of the Canavese and Susa Valley, Canestrelli have been prepared since the Middle Ages when, arranged in woven wicker baskets, they cheered important occasions: weddings, patronal festivals, carnival.
Even today, their preparation is entrusted to a patient manual process: from the mixture of flour, butter, eggs and sugar, balls as small as marbles are obtained, which are crushed and baked in a few moments between hot plates exposed to a blazing fire.
These wafers, variously flavoured with lemon, vanilla and cocoa, still retain their ancient traditional shape: thicker and with raised grilles are the Canestrelli di Vaie; thin and lightly grilled are those of Montanaro; similar to medieval coins are those of Tonengo di Mazzè; crispy, very thin and stamped with family crests are those of Borgofranco d'Ivrea.
Baciaje of Cercenasco
The baciaje of Cercenasco (in the Pinerolo area) are a type of canestrelli that uses maize flour, partially replacing wheat flour. The baciaja, which is a fairly thin and crumbly wafer biscuit, is baked on the fire, using a dedicated tongs iron.
Baciaje can be chocolate, lemon, hazelnut and gianduja.