Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago

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Today is the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene — and associated with her story in Provence (one of my favourite places in the world. 🇫🇷) a rather extraordinary orange flavoured little biscuit shaped like a boat. ⛵️
So, I’m telling her story through food — with these amazing little biscuits.

The Recipe: The classic navette is incredibly simple and contain no butter, which helps them last for weeks without going stale

NAVETTES — MAKES 8 LARGE BISCUITS

Ingredients:
250g plain flour
100g caster sugar
1 large egg
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp / 30ml orange-blossom water
Zest of ½ orange
Pinch of fine sea salt

Whisk the egg and sugar until combined and slightly pale. Slowly mix in the olive oil, orange-blossom water and orange zest.

Gradually add the flour and salt and bring together into a firm, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

Divide into 8 pieces. Roll each into an elongated shape, tapering both ends. Make a deep slit lengthways through the centre — without cutting all the way through — then gently open it to create the distinctive little boat.

Bake at 180°C conventional / 160°C fan for 15–20 minutes, until firm and only lightly golden. Cool completely — they become firmer and crisper as they cool.

A biscuit. A boat. Provence. And the story of a woman entrusted with one of Christianity’s greatest messages: He is risen.

Save the recipe, and send this to someone who loves discovering the stories hidden behind the food we eat. ⛵️🍊📖

#marymagdalene #christianity #saints #feastday #navette #provence