Italy Lovers

Cookie Recipes that got rave reviews at our Italian-American Festival

These cookies were made by myself and my friends. They are recipes that really work. All got rave reviews. Buon appetito!

Anise-Almond Biscotti

This recipe is adapted from one I found on the Epicurious website. I have tried a lot of different biscotti recipes but this is the first one that I was really happy with and I know I'll be making it again and again. The above link takes you to the original version. Here is my version. Everyone who tried them raved about them.

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons aniseed, ground
1 cup whole almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped

Preheat over to 350°F.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Mix sugar, melted butter, 3 eggs, vanilla extract and ground aniseed in large bowl. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir with wooden spoon until well blended. Mix in almonds.

Divide dough in half. Using floured hands, shape each dough half into 13 1/2-inch-long, 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Transfer both logs to baking sheet, placing them apart (I like to cover mine with parchment paper). Wet hands with water and pat over dough.

Bake logs until golden brown (they will spread), about 30 minutes. Let cool completely, about 25 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

Transfer logs to work surface. Using serrated knife, cut logs on diagonal into 1/2-inch-wide slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on same baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes. Turn biscotti over; bake until just beginning to color, about 8 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

Yield: 36 cookies

You can vary this recipe with the flavorings. The first batch I made I didn't have aniseed so I added some almond extract; that was great too. I do like the aniseed - it is not like some store bought cookies that I have bought where the flavor is really strong. In this recipe it is subtle but adds something special to the flavor.

Brutti ma buoni (Ugly but good) cookies

2 cups raw almonds (10 1/2 oz.)
1/4 cup pine nuts (1 oz.)
1-1/3 cups sugar
2-3 large egg whites
2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place almonds on a baking pan and roast in oven approx. 5 minutes, then let cook. Roast pine nutes approx. 1 minute (they can burn easily).

In food processor, coarsely chop almonds and pine nuts together with sugar. Place in mixing bowl and add flour and salt; stir to blend.

Lightly beat 2 whites and add to nut mixture. Blend until evenly moist. (Dough should be slightly sticky but firm enough to hold together. If it is too dry, lightly beat remaining egg white and blend into dough 1 teaspoon at a time.)

Drop heaping teaspoons about 1/2 inch apart onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake cookies in middle of oven until barely browned and moist in center, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on sheet, then transfer to a rack.

Makes about 36 cookies.

Pitte con Niepita (Easter Turnovers)

These are a specialty of Calabria and have an unusual, but delicious, flavor.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Filling:

Mix all filling ingredients together in a bowl.

Pastry dough:

Place flour and sugar in food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Add butter and ice water and process until ball of dough forms on blades. Remove and roll out thin on floured board.

Beat an egg yolk in a small bowl and set aside.

Cut the dough into rounds 3 to 3-1/2 inches in diameter. (I didn't have a cookie cutter that large so I used a large glass turned upside down). Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each, fold the rounds in half, moisten the edges, and press them firmly together.

Prick the tops with a pointed knife, brush with egg yolk, and bake the turnovers for 15 minutes or until golden.

Good either hot or cold.

Makes about 2-3 dozen.

Biscotti della Regina (Italian Sesame Seed Cookies)

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Ingredients:

Melt butter and let cool. Cream melted butter and sugar together. Add the beaten eggs and mix to combine. Add milk, vanilla, baking powder, salt, lemon zest, orange zest and mix well.

Add enough flour and mix until dough is soft and pliable but not sticky. You may not need to add all four cups.

Remove from mixing bowl, knead gently, and add more flour if needed. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

Pour milk into a deep bowl (like a cereal bowl) and put sesame seeds into a plate.

Break off dough pieces about the size of a walnut and roll into a log in your hands.

Roll dough pieces in milk and then in the sesame seeds.

Place on greased cookie sheet (or on parchment paper) and flatten slightly.

Bake approximately 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.  To keep bottoms from burning, use the middle rack of the oven.

Makes about 2-1/2 dozen cookies.

Mezzalune (Almond Half-Moon Cookies)

These were very popular cookies. So many people said "just like my grandmother used to make".
I would call that a good recommendation, wouldn't you?

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Ingredients:

Grind almonds with sugar in a food processor until like fine bread crumbs.
Add flour, salt and butter and pulse 2 or 3 times.
Add almond extract.
Continue processing until the dough forms a soft ball.
Remove from bowl and break off walnut size pieces. Roll them into 4-inch long logs. Form into a crescent shape.
Place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
Bake about 20 minutes until firm but not too brown.
Allow to cool.
Sift the confectioner's sugar into a bowl. Roll the crescents in the sugar, coating them well.