Maritozzi - Italian Raisin, Lemon and Pine Nut Buns

This is a speciality from Rome. The people love this lemony raisin buns with their cup of espresso and or a Glass of sweet wine.

a whole tray of buns

recipe:
500 g flour
40 g yeast
250 ml milk
4 tbsp sugar
50 g raisins soaked in Marsala
30 g pine nuts
50 g homemade candied lemon peel- check the blog about a Pope's favourite lemon dessert
2 tbsp olive oil
1 pinch of salt

In a little bit of  hand warm mit with a pinch of sugar dissolve the yeast and make a well in the middle of the flour and stir the milk in. Let it rise at a warm place for 30 min, then transfer it into a kitchen machine and get the rest of the milk, olive oil and the sugar and salt in. Make a smooth dough and let it rest 30 min again.
Lightly toast the pine nuts and soak the raisins. Cut up the candied lemon peel. When the dough has rested make a flat disc and get all the other ingredients in. Start kneading them on a floured surface until everything is combined. Cut it into 12 pieces and shape dough balls, rest them under a cover for 30 min more. You can cut a cross into them or use an apple corer/dicer thing and press down on the balls, that makes a nice look.

Use some milk and brush the buns with it.
Bake them at 200 C for 20 min.