The rosette shape has a sacral significance, alluding to divine perfection and reminiscent of the decoration of Romanesque church facades, so this typical cake was once prepared only on particularly important religious occasions.
The use of lard dates the product to a time a when butter was too expensive and not always available. The origin of the name is not well understood; according to local elders it is to be traced back to Greek and means, therefore, "little cake," but it is not known precisely by whom it was introduced to Genazzano, whether by the Greeks or by the Scutarini (of Albanian origin) who at different times occupied the territory. Shortbread tart in the shape of a rosette filled internally with plum jam, enclosed between two disks of dough whose edges are lifted and skillfully manipulated until an artistic circular frame is obtained.
The barachia, made by mixing flour, eggs, sugar, lard and precisely the jam, presents as its first taste sensation a delicate sweet flavor that is later made to contrast with the bittersweet flavor of the jam. Storage can extend up to about 7 days.
