Bussolà, typical Easter biscuit of Burano Island

‘Bussolà’ (plural bussolai) is a traditional Venetian biscuit which derives its name from the word ‘busa’ which means ‘hole’ to remember their donut-like shape. These cookies are also known as ‘buranelli’ because they were created on the island of Burano.

The origin of bussolai dates back a long time: it is a dessert that was prepared and is still prepared for the Easter holidays. It was in fact customary for local women to go to the baker’s or a pastry shop, a few days before the celebration, to have their bussolai cooked.

The buranelli have a yellow mixture, rich in nutrients. In fact, the main ingredients are eggs, flour, sugar and butter. It is therefore a rich and healthy food and once cooked, these delicious biscuits can last a long time. For this reason, in the past, when food was in short supply, the fishermen's wives prepared these sweets for them to face the long days out at sea.

In addition, the bussolà, if flavored with vanilla or rum or lemon, was wrapped in linen to spread its pleasant fragrance in the drawers.

The bussolà buranello can feature other forms in addition to the traditional donut shape: a “S” shape or a straight one.

The birth of the Esses of Burano is all legendary: it is said that a long time ago, a restaurateur from Burano asked a local baker to prepare desserts for his guests which could be to soaked in sweet wine because the classic buranello was too big to be dipped in a glass. Using the same dough as the bussolà, the baker created biscuits in the shape of an 'esse', decidedly easier to dip in the sweet wine.

There is nothing better than to end a rich meal with a nice glass of sweet wine and a good bussolà! Visit Venice and its beautiful lagoon islands, Burano in particular, by booking one of our Venice lagoon islands tours!