Nadalin, the grandfather of Pandoro di Verona.

In Verona (we are in the city of Juliet and Romeo, in Veneto), Pandoro is not the only typical sweet of the Christmas holidays; there is also Nadalin. A niche product, less commercial, which many Veronese "de soca" prefer because they consider it more linked to the city, since the former has now become a national and export sweet.

The origins of Nadalin from Verona

According to tradition, it was invented at the end of the 13th century to celebrate the first Christmas after the investiture of the noble Della Scala family, who had become Lords of Verona, symbolizing the greatness of the city. It is a lightly leavened dessert and not very tall, which is undoubtedly the father of the modern Pandoro, sharing the same star shape with eight points, although less defined and precise.

The difference between Pandoro and Nadalin

Compared to the sweet born at the end of the 19th century from the hands of Domenico Melegatti, the preparation of Nadalin is simpler and quicker, without those laborious folds that characterize the leavening of Pandoro. The result is a less soft but very flavorful dessert, whose taste is enriched by the dried fruit that complements the glazing made on the surface.

Giampaolo Beschin