Biscotti Della Nonna
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It was hard to decide where to start, but I chose the three cookies in the photos. The biscotti della nonna are destined to be on rotation here, since they are made with olive oil, and I'm trying to cook more heart-healthy foods for my husband and me. They are also great dunkers, as my husband can attest. "This book is dangerous," he said.
But those butter-laden chifferi alla nocciola are downright addictive with the fine hazelnut flavor and generous dusting of confectioner's sugar. They're quite similar to cookies that are known by other names, like Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican wedding cookies. If you love anise flavoring, try the occhi di Santa Lucia, those adorable knots covered in a sugary glaze. Domenica confided that while baking all the cookies in the book, she did not gain weight. "I shared with neighbors, sent some off to the office with my husband, froze some, and ate some. That's the beautiful thing about cookies. They are a small indulgence."
Fortunately, I had a meeting at my house last night and was able to spread the wealth to my committee members. I'd better freeze the rest though, before I end up having to loosen my belt another notch.
I've included the recipe for the biscotti della nonna below, but you'll have to wait until the official release on April 14 for the others. It's a great reference you'll definitely want in your cookbook collection and a wonderful gift too.
Biscotti Della Nonna
(From Domenica Marchetti's "Italian Cookies")
Makes 10 large or 20 medium cookies
Ingredients
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to coat your hands
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
zest of 1 small orange (I used a large orange), about 2 teaspoons
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Cinnamon Sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions:
Combine the sugar, egg, olive oil and milk in a large bowl and mix well with a whisk or a hand mixer. Whisk in the vanilla extract and orange zest. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour this into the egg mixture and fold everything together with a large spatula until thoroughly combined. The dough will be soft and sticky. Cover the bowl and let it rest briefly.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
To make the cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, mix together the 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon.
Lightly coat your hands with a little olive oil. Pinch off gold ball-size pieces of dough and roll them into ovals or circles. Pat them down to flatten them a bit; they should be about 1/2 inch thick. If you want to weigh for accuracy, each piece should weigh slightly under 2 ounces. Coat both sides of each oval or circle in cinnamon sugar and place them on the baking sheet, taking care to leave about 1 inch of space between them.
Bake the cookies in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, or until they are lightly browned. They should be puffed and set, with some light cracking on the surface. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; then transfer the cookies from the baking sheet to the rack to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
