ABSURDLY ADDICTIVE HONEY COOKIES: MUSTAZZOLI
UGLY BUT DELICIOUS: BRUTTI MA BUONI
DRUNKEN CROSTINI: CROSTINI UBRIACHI
LEMON-CORNMEAL COOKIES: BISCOTTI DI MELIGA
GLOSSARY OF ITALIAN CHOCOLATE CANDIES
HAZELNUT-CHOCOLATE KISSES: BACI DI DAMA
CHOCOLATE-ALMOND HONEY BARS:
MOSTACCIOLI AL CIOCCOLATO
VENICE’S CORNMEAL COOKIES: ZALETI
BLACK PEPPER–HONEY BISCOTTI: PEPATELLI
RED WINE RINGS: TARALLUCCI AL VINO
SWEET RICOTTA CRÊPES: DITA DEGLI APOSTOLI
SICILIAN SESAME COOKIES: BISCOTTI REGINA
CHOCOLATE AND JAM “LITTLE MOUTHFULS”: BOCCONOTTI
SPIKED RICE PUDDING TREATS: TORTA DEGLI ADDOBBI
CHOCOLATE “SALAMI”: SALAME AL CIOCCOLATO
MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN
REGION: Sicily
Made with just two ingredients—honey and flour—mustazzoli epitomize the fundamental Italian culinary rule that less is more! Honey is the star here, so be sure to pick a dark, dense one with a rich, deep flavor. The famed Antica Dolceria Bonajuto in Modica, where I learned this recipe, uses local Sicilian carob honey, which is medium-dark in color with a wine-like richness and aroma. Other good choices include buckwheat or prickly pear–cactus honey.
The Sicilians say these cookies “keep you company,” meaning that they are so chewy, it takes ages to eat one. They’re even given to toddlers as a sort of teething ring.
troppe salse
vivande false.
TOO MANY
SAUCES RUIN A DISH.
Dark honey, such as carob or buckwheat 
8 ounces/226 grams
00 flour 1¼ cups (5 ounces/142 grams)
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Put the honey into a bowl, and slowly add in the flour, mixing with your fingers until a dough forms. It will be dense and sticky. Depending on the amount of moisture in the honey you are using, you may need to add more flour.
Coat your hands with flour. Gently, using your palms, roll the dough right on the baking sheet into a log about 13 inches (33 centimeters) long and 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) thick. If the dough comes apart, just roll it into a ball and reconnect the parts; working from the center, slowly roll it out into a log shape. The heat of your hands helps to warm the honey, which acts like glue for the flour.
Cut the log, on an angle, into 1¼-inch (3-centimeter) sections. Don’t try to completely separate the sections at this point—the dough is too sticky. Or, if you prefer, you can separate the sections and form them into little swirled S-shapes, as shown in the photo on page 10.
Bake for about 8 minutes, until lightly golden and no longer sticky. Put the cookies on a rack to cool and dry. They can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for several months.
MAKES 1 DOZEN
REGION: Piedmont, with versions throughout northern Italy
Crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, these “ugly” cookies are so good that almost every region of Italy has its own version. Feel free to substitute almonds or walnuts for the hazelnuts, if you like. In some parts of Italy the batter may include a little grated orange peel, a bit of vanilla, or pinch of cinnamon.
gallina vecchia
fa buon brodo.
AN OLD HEN MAKES GOOD BROTH.
Chopped hazelnuts 1½ cups (6 ounces/170 grams)
Sugar ¾ cup (5 ½ ounces/150 grams)
Egg whites 3 large
Preheat the oven to 280°F (140°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Grind the hazelnuts and sugar in a mini food processor to a sandlike consistency. Don’t overgrind or you’ll create hazelnut butter.
In a small bowl, using a whisk or electric hand-mixer, beat the egg whites until firm peaks form.
Put the hazelnut-sugar mixture in a medium saucepan and fold in the egg whites. Cook over very low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, for about 8 minutes, until thick. Remove from the heat and let the batter stand for 10 minutes.
Drop tablespoon-size dollops of the batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until dry to the touch. Cool on a rack. These can be stored in an air-tight container for one month.
SERVES 8 TO 10
REGION: Umbria
Like bread and chocolate, but boozy! Toasted baguette slices are dipped in melted chocolate that’s been seasoned with espresso, rum, and liqueur. Then they’re topped with more melted chocolate and almonds. Leave it to the Italians to create a wonderful no-bake, no-fuss, rich, chocolatey dessert from day-old bread.
tre cose
mantengono la salute:
pane di ieri, carne d’oggi,
e vino d’un anno.
THREE THINGS FOR GOOD HEALTH:
YESTERDAY’S BREAD, TODAY’S MEAT,
AND LAST YEAR’S WINE.
Milk chocolate 5 ounces/140 grams, chopped
Dark chocolate 4 ounces/115 grams, chopped
Hot espresso or coffee ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces/180 milliliters)
Sugar
Rum 2 to 3 tablespoons
Liqueur such as amaretto, Maraschino, or alchermes (page 182) 2 to 3 tablespoons
1 day-old baguette, sliced 1-inch thick and toasted
Almonds ½ cup (2 ounces/55 grams), chopped, plus more for garnish
Put 3 ounces (85 grams) of the milk chocolate and 1 ounce (30 grams) of the dark chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and add the hot espresso. Stir until the chocolate melts. Add sugar, rum, and liqueur to taste, and stir to combine. Let cool completely.
Dip the toasted bread slices into the chocolate mixture, being sure to coat both sides, then place on a platter or other work surface and let rest for 1 hour so they can absorb the chocolate mixture.
Combine the remaining 2 ounces (55 grams) milk chocolate and 3 ounces (85 grams) dark chocolate in a small bowl and melt it, either in a microwave oven or over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Stir in the almonds until well combined, then spoon the mixture onto the crostini. Transfer the crostini to a serving platter and garnish with a generous sprinkle of chopped almonds.
MAKES 2 TO 3 DOZEN
REGION: Piedmont
In the Piedmontese dialect, meliga means “cornmeal”—and it is cornmeal that gives these cookies a rustic chewiness. The lemon adds a sophisticated bright, fresh tang. They are the quintessential cookies of Italy’s northern regions and can be made in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
pane di villano
rustico ma sano.
PEASANT BREAD:
RUSTIC BUT HEALTHY.
Fine-ground cornmeal 1 cup (5 ounces/140 grams)
00 flour ¾ cup (3 ounces/85 grams)
Butter, diced 10 tablespoons (5½ ounces/155 grams)
Sugar ¾ cup (5¼ ounces/150 grams)
Egg yolks 2 large
Pure vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
Grated zest of 1 large lemon
Salt
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a food processor, combine the cornmeal, flour, and butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt and process until just combined. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead it for 1 to 2 minutes; the dough will be dense and sticky.
Working in batches, put the dough in a cookie press and press out simple one-part shapes onto the prepared baking sheets. Alternatively, put flattened teaspoon-sized mounds of dough on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for about 7 minutes, depending on the thickness of your cookies, until just lightly golden at the edges. Let cool to room temperature on the parchment paper on wire racks. (If you try to remove them from the parchment paper before they are cool, they may crumble.) The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.
Italy has a rich tradition of chocolate making, from internationally famous brands to small artisanal chocolatiers. Here is a brief list of some favorites:
BACI: The world-renowned “kisses” were first created by the Perugina company in the 1920s. Baci have a hazelnut ganache center, which is topped with a whole hazelnut and coated in dark chocolate. They are wrapped in silver and blue foil and have a message or poem inside.
CREMINI: These “little creams” are small squares of creamy chocolate with three layers of flavors: usually a layer of dark, a layer of milk, and a layer of hazelnut chocolate. These come in other flavors as well.
GIANDUIOTTI: Little creamy chocolate-hazelnut candies, shaped like an upside-down canoe and wrapped in foil. They were first created in Piedmont in the mid-1800s. The name comes from Gianduja, a popular Piedmont Carnival character.
MON CHERI: A liqueur-filled dark chocolate candy with a whole cherry in the center. Mon Cheri candies were launched in 1956 by the Ferrero chocolate company, which is based in the city of Alba in Piedmont.
NAPOLITAINS: Small squares of individually wrapped chocolate, either milk, dark, or white, napolitains are often served with espresso in Italy, especially in Piedmont. Northern Italians either melt it right into the espresso creating a quick mocha coffee or nibble it as they sip. They are a perfect size for tastings, and many Italian chocolate companies create them to showcase single-origin chocolates and chocolates of varying cocoa solids percentages.
NOCCIOLATO: Specialty chocolate bar topped with whole Italian hazelnuts.
ROCHER: A round chocolate candy filled with creamy chocolate, crisp wafer, and a whole hazelnut, covered with milk chocolate and finely chopped hazelnuts, made by Ferrero.
MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN
REGION: Tuscany; first created in Siena, but now popular throughout Italy
I’ve taste-tested dozens of cantucci recipes, and this is my absolute favorite. The dough is very easy to work with and the cookies come out perfect every time. One key to the great flavor is the addition of vin santo, Tuscany’s famed golden-amber dessert wine, which provides a nice aroma and a subtle fruity balance. Another is the touch of honey, which keeps the cantucci wonderfully moist.
nella botte piccola
c’è il vino buono.
GOOD WINE COMES
IN SMALL BARRELS.
00 flour 3 cups (13½ ounces/385 grams)
Sugar ¾ cup (5¼ ounces/150 grams)
Honey 3 heaping tablespoons
Eggs 2 large
Egg yolks 2 large
Butter 2 tablespoons
Baking powder ½ teaspoon
Vin santo ½ cup (4 fluid ounces/120 milliliters)
Salt ¼ teaspoon
Whole almonds 1 cup (5 1/3 ounces/150 grams)
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, honey, whole eggs, egg yolks, butter, baking powder, vin santo, and salt. Using your hands, knead until a dough forms, then knead in the almonds. The dough should be a little sticky; if it’s too moist, add a little extra flour.
Divide the dough into 3 portions and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Using wet hands, mold each portion into a log about 10 inches (25 centimeters) long and 2 inches (5 centimeters) wide. Don’t worry about it being perfect—the dough will even out as it bakes.
Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from the oven but keep the oven on. Let the logs rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. While still hot, working directly on the baking sheet, cut the logs on the diagonal into slices about ¾ inches (2 centimeters) thick, using a sharp knife and one firm cut. Arrange the slices, cut side down, on the baking sheet and return them to the oven to bake for about 5 minutes, until light golden. Cool on wire racks. The biscotti can be stored in an airtight container for several months.
UN ALTRO MODO
Orange Cantucci: Add 2 to 3 tablespoons finely minced candied orange peel when you add the almonds to the dough.
Chocolate Cantucci: Add a small handful of chopped dark chocolate or mini dark chocolate chips when you add the almonds to the dough.
Anything-Goes Cantucci: Add a few tablespoons of chopped dried fruit—like dates, apricots, or figs—and substitute a different nut for the almonds, or omit the nuts.
When I last visited Tuscany, I tried lots of the region’s sweets, including cantucci, panforte, ricciardelli, and pandesanti. Almost invariably, when I found an especially delicious example and asked who made it, I was told, “Corsini.” I had to track down the company that made so many of my favorite Tuscan cookies! As it turns out, it’s not so much a company as it is a family: a man and his four sons, who manage a little factory so picturesque, so idyllic, I found it hard to believe it was real. The factory is really more like a series of small bake shops, each staffed by a small group of people dedicated to producing a different sweet. In one room, workers take two-hour shifts carefully picking out almonds not quite beautiful enough to feature in the Corsini cantucci. (The rejects, still sound but perhaps a little misshapen, are ground up and used in other products.) The factory’s quaintness and the personal touches like this that can be seen throughout the operation are all the more surprising since Corsini is a very big name in Europe. The company’s sweets are found throughout Italy, and their teatime cookies are among the most popular brands in England. Corsini even makes the biscotti for European Starbucks.
This small factory is part of the tiny Tuscan hilltop town of Castel del Piano, which is surrounded by pristine rustic countryside that could’ve emerged, shaded in deep greens and umber, from a da Vinci painting. It’s the same town where Ubaldo Corsini first started working at his father’s bread shop, established in 1921. After his father, Corrado Corsini, passed away in 1957, Ubaldo took over. At the time he was just eighteen, but he made the most of the business. Ubaldo loved all sweets. After he took over the bakery, he slowly incorporated more and more sweet breads and different kinds of cookies, and eventually chose to focus exclusively on sweets. As soon as his sons were old enough and showed an interest in helping him, they worked together to grow the company. And grow it did: The business has increased twenty-fold.
Ubaldo, still president of the company, claims he’s twelve pounds (5.5 kilograms) overweight because he’s the “official taste-tester.”
“Like many typical Italian families,” Ubaldo says, “we don’t know where the family ends and the business begins.”
MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN
REGION: Piedmont
A dab of rich dark chocolate sandwiched between two buttery hazelnut domes, this little kiss of a cookie, aptly named baci di dama, which means “a lady’s kisses,” will melt in your mouth. The simple four-ingredient dough comes together right in the food processor.
dammi mille baci,
poi cento, poi mille altri,
poi ancora cento…
GIVE ME A THOUSAND KISSES,
THEN A HUNDRED, THEN A THOUSAND
MORE, AND ANOTHER HUNDRED…
—GAIUS VALERIUS CATULLUS, ROMAN
POET (1ST CENTURY B.C.)
Whole blanched hazelnuts 7/8 cup (3½ ounces/100 grams), oven toasted
Sugar ½ cup (3½ ounces/100 grams)
All-purpose flour ¾ cup (3½ ounces/100 grams)
Butter, diced 7 tablespoons (3½ ounces/100 grams)
Dark chocolate, chopped 3½ ounces/100 grams
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Combine the hazelnuts and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add the remaining sugar, sift in the flour, and process until well combined. Add the butter and pulse until combined. The dough will be a dense mass. Divide the dough in half, shape into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until very firm and cold.
Unwrap one disk of dough (leave the other in the refrigerator so it stays cold). Pinch off a teaspoonful of the dough and roll it into a small ball, about the size of a hazelnut, a little less than ½ inch (12 millimeters) in diameter. Occasionally flour your hands so the dough doesn’t get too sticky as it warms in your hands. (The key to nicely rounded cookies is a fairly dry dough.) Place the balls on a prepared baking sheet at least 2 inches (5 centimeters) apart. Put the filled baking sheet in the refrigerator while you repeat with the second disk of dough. Be sure to make an even number of balls, as you’ll need two to make one baci.
When both cookie sheets are filled, bake for about 13 minutes, until just light golden. Keeping the cookies on the parchment paper, slide them off the baking sheets and onto a cool surface to stop them from cooking further. Let them cool to room temperature before filling.
Put the chocolate in a small bowl and melt it, either in a microwave oven or over a saucepan of gently simmering water. To make the kisses, put a dollop of chocolate on the flat side (the side that had been touching the baking sheet) of one cookie and then make a sandwich by pressing another cookie onto the chocolate. Repeat with all the cookies. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for several weeks.
UN ALTRO MODO
Chocolate-Chocolate Baci di Dama: Substitute 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder for 2 tablespoons of the flour when you make the dough.
MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN
REGION: Calabria
These bar cookies feature a magically moist chocolate and almond filling surrounded by honey-rich dough. If you like honey, especially the more intense and flavorful dark kinds, these cookies are for you. I love them not just for the taste, but also for the technique. The dough and filling are baked as you would a pie, then cut into individual bars. I also like that there’s no butter in the recipe, allowing more of the naturally rich almond and chocolate flavors to come through.
il miele non si
fa senza le pecchie.
YOU CAN’T MAKE HONEY
WITHOUT BEES.
Olive oil for the pan
00 flour 2 cups (9 ounces/255 grams)
Dark honey, such as chestnut or buckwheat about ¾ cup (8 ounces/227 grams)
Egg yolk 1 large
Baking powder 1 teaspoon
Dark chocolate, melted 11 ounces/310 grams
Whole almonds, oven toasted and finely ground 1 cup (5 1/3 ounces/150 grams)
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly oil and flour a 10-inch (25-centimeter) pie pan.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, honey, egg yolk, and baking powder until a dough forms. It will be very sticky. Put a sheet of parchment paper on a work surface and lightly dust it with flour. Take a little more than half of the dough and roll it out into a circle at least 12 inches (25 centimeters) in diameter so it will line the pie pan up to the top edge. The dough is very sticky, so it may not easily come off the parchment paper in one piece. Just press the pieces together in the pie pan; they will come together when the pie bakes. Roll the rest of the dough out into a circle for the top crust on the same sheet of parchment paper and set it aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the chocolate and almonds until well blended. Pour into the pie pan and cover with the top crust. Pinch the edges closed so that they just touch, creating a flush edge. Do not crimp the edges as in typical American pies. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the crust is lightly golden. Let cool to room temperature on a wire rack, then cut into roughly rectangular bars. The bars can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN
REGION: Throughout Italy, especially in the north
I asked Giancarlo Gonizzi, the curator of the outstanding cookbook collection at Academia Barilla in Parma, for his advice on a must-include dessert for this book. He suggested these cookies, which come from one of Italy’s most famed dessert books, the 1927 classic Il Pasticcere e Confettiere Moderno written by Giuseppe Ciocca.
Moist and versatile, they contain two unusual ingredients: cooked egg yolks and cornstarch. That combination yields an exceptionally tender cookie with exceptionally silky mouthfeel.
They can be made in almost any shape, but I like them as thumbprints, filled with jam or melted chocolate.
essere pieno
come un uovo.
FULL AS AN EGG.
Hard-cooked egg yolks 5 large
Sugar ½ cup (3½ ounces/100 grams)
Butter 14 tablespoons (7 ounces/200 grams)
Cornstarch ¾ cup (3 ounces/85 grams)
Pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
All-purpose flour 1½ cups (7 ounces/198 grams)
Confectioners’ sugar, jam, or melted chocolate
Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine the cooked egg yolks and granulated sugar in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the butter and process until creamy. Add the cornstarch and vanilla, then the flour, pulsing until just combined. Do not overwork the dough.
Pinch off bits of the dough and roll them into ½-inch (12-millimeter) balls. Place on the prepared baking sheets and press down gently in the center of each ball with your thumb. Place the filled baking sheets in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to firm up the dough, then bake for about 20 minutes, until the cookies are dry to the touch. They will be light colored. Cool to room temperature on the baking sheets without handling them, as the cookies are very fragile when hot. Serve as they are, or dust with confectioners’ sugar or fill the thumbprints with jam or chocolate.
MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN
REGION: Veneto
There are some terrific foodie websites and bloggers in Italy. One question I sent out into Italy’s cyberspace was which cookie recipes I should include in this book. Almost unanimously, Italian bloggers agreed that I had to include zaleti—cornmeal cookies from the Veneto region. Zaletti means “yellow” in Veneto dialect, which refers to the cookie’s cornmeal color. After trying several recipes sent to me by various chefs and home cooks, this is the standout. The hint of grappa gives these cookies a subtle but sublime aroma.
due dita di vino
e una pedata al medico.
TWO FINGERS OF WINE
KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY.
Butter 8 tablespoons (4 ounces/113 grams)
Sugar ½ cup (3½ ounces/100 grams)
Egg yolks 3 large
Milk 4 tablespoons
Baking powder 1 teaspoon
Salt ½ teaspoon
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
Grappa 2 tablespoons
1 handful of golden raisins
Pine nuts 3 tablespoons
Fine-ground cornmeal 1 cup (5 ounces/140 grams)
00 flour 1½ cups (6 ounces/170 grams)
Confectioners’ sugar
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
With an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light yellow and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks until well combined, then beat in the milk, baking powder, salt, lemon zest, vanilla, and grappa (if using). With a wooden spoon, stir in the raisins and pine nuts. Gradually sift in the cornmeal and flour, a little at a time, incorporating each addition well before adding more. The dough will be very dense. Drop the heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets a few inches apart. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until just light golden around the edges. Do not overbake. Cool to room temperature on wire racks.
Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month.
MAKES 8 DOZEN
REGION: Abruzzo, especially the Teramo area
Honey-sweet, with a pleasing peppery bite and hint of orange, these thin, crunchy biscotti are positively addictive. Best of all, they’re a guiltless treat! Unlike most cookies, these contain no butter or eggs. The absurdly simple list of ingredients—basically just honey, almonds, and flour—produces a very sophisticated cookie, especially wonderful when made with a strongly flavored darker honey like chestnut or buckwheat.
The yield might sound like a lot, but these cookies are very, very thin. Pepatelli are typically served in the winter, especially for the holidays, enjoyed with a glass of the local Abruzzo dessert wine, vin cotto. The basic recipe—without the relatively modern addition of cocoa powder—dates to the Renaissance.
pepe e noce moscata
fa buona la rapa.
PEPPER AND NUTMEG MAKE
EVEN TURNIPS DELICIOUS.
Honey 9 ounces (250 grams)
Whole almonds 1½ cups (9 ounces/250 grams)
00 flour 1¾ cups (9 ounces/250 grams)
Grated zest of 1 orange
Unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon
Freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a microwave oven or in a small saucepan over low heat, heat the honey until very warm and liquidy. Pour into a medium bowl and add the almonds, flour, orange zest, cocoa powder, and pepper. Mix, using your hands or a wooden spoon, until a dough forms. It will be very dense and crumbly. Don’t worry; it will come together as it bakes.
Put a little flour in a small bowl or on a work surface and coat your hands with it. Put one quarter of the dough on the prepared baking sheet and press it into a rectangle ¾-inch (2-centimeters) thick, about 6 inches (15 centimeters) long and 1½ inches (4 centimeters) wide. Repeat with the remaining dough to make a total of 4 rectangles.
Bake for 10 minutes. Flip the rectangles over and bake for another 15 minutes, or until golden and set.
Remove from the oven and, while still hot, cut each rectangle crosswise into very thin slices, about ¼ inch (6 millimeters) thick. Cool to room temperature on wire racks. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for several months.
MAKES ABOUT 7 DOZEN
REGION: Abruzzo
Attention, red wine lovers: This is the perfect dessert for you! Not only do these treats pair perfectly with red wine, but they’re made with it, too. These ring-shaped cookies have long been seen by Italians as symbolizing a hug, and are a sign of friendship and affection. In the past, when legal contracts were made—such as for the sale of land—villagers didn’t employ lawyers. Instead they’d simply shake hands and embrace. To celebrate they’d offer a toast of red wine and tarallucci. Today, these cookies come out after dinner, to be nibbled on while drinking the last of the wine.
Made with olive oil and not too sweet, they’re a guiltless pleasure. Seven dozen may sound like a lot—and you can halve the recipe if you like—but you won’t regret making a full batch. For one thing, they are a snap to make and will stay fresh for months. For another, when you serve them to guests, they’ll beg to take some home. Tarallucci al vino are a wonderful hostess gift for the wine lovers in your life.
tutto finisce a
tarallucci e vino.
IT ALL ENDS WITH TARALLUCCI
AND WINE. (IT ALL COMES OUT
RIGHT IN THE END.)
All-purpose flour 7 cups (35 ounces/1 kilogram)
Red wine 1 cup (8 fluid ounces/240 milliliters)
Sugar 1 cup (7 ounces/200 grams)
Olive oil ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces/180 milliliters)
Eggs 2 large
Salt ½ teaspoon
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, the wine, sugar, oil, eggs, and salt, using your fingers or a wooden spoon. Add more flour, a little at a time, until a firm dough forms.
Put a few tablespoons sugar on a small flat plate. Put a sheet of parchment paper on a work surface and roll a large handful of dough into a long rope about ½ inch (12 millimeters) wide. Cut off a 3-inch (7.5-centimeter) section and shape it into a ring, pinching the ends to seal it. Dip one side of each cookie into the sugar and put it, sugar side up, on one of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat to fill one baking sheet (see Note). Bake for about 15 minutes, until dry to the touch. Cool on wire racks while you shape and bake the remaining tarallucci. The tarallucci can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months.
NOTE: I learned a great trick from an Italian friend. As soon as you have shaped one baking sheet’s worth of tarallucci, pop them in the oven so they can bake while you’re forming the next batch. In the few minutes it’ll take you to fill the second baking sheet, you’ll be rewarded with a taste from the first.
UN ALTRO MODO
Instead of sprinkling the tarallucci with sugar before baking, you can instead glaze them with icing. Just add a few drops of water to confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl, and stir until a thin icing forms. After they are baked and cooled, dip the top half of each tarallucci in the icing and let dry.
This recipe is common throughout Italy, with slight variations in size and name. In Basilicata and southern Italy, you will find a larger version called taralli, which are boiled before baking. In Rome and central Italy, a similar cookie is called ciambelline al vino.
Although there are probably hundreds of different cookies and recipe variations to be found across the country, here are some of the most popular:
AMARETTI: Amaretti, “little bitters,” are small, round almond cookies. A speciality of northern Italy, amaretti are made of sugar, almonds, and egg whites. Their invention is attributed to Francesco Moriondo, pastry chef at the court of Savoy in the mid-seventeenth century.
Amaretti can be either hard (classici) or soft (morbidi), and can vary in size, too. Hard amaretti are used in many traditional Italian recipes, from savory dishes to desserts. In desserts they are often a base for custard (page 72), semifreddo, and cake decorations (pages 126). In savory dishes, they are famously the filling for pumpkin ravioli and tortellini.
BACI DI DAMA (page 21): Baci di dama, “lady’s kisses,” are a specialty of Piedmont in northern Italy. Two little round hazelnut-almond shortbread cookies are sandwiched together with a dark chocolate filling.
CANESTRELLI: Canestrelli, “little baskets,” are ring-shaped, frilly-edged shortbread or almond biscuits topped with confectioners’ sugar after baking. Canestrelli originated in the Monferrato area, between the regions of Piedmont and Liguria.
CANTUCCI: (page 18) also called biscotti di Prato, are crunchy almond cookies first created in the Tuscan town of Prato centuries ago. Cantuccini are smaller-sized cantucci. They are traditionally served with a glass of vin santo, an amber-colored dessert wine.
CAVALLUCCI: Cavallucci, “little horses,” are soft cookies made with honey, nuts, and anise and are eaten all year round in Siena, but in the rest of Italy mostly at Christmastime. They date back to the Middle Ages in Siena, and the name probably comes from the tradition of offering them to travelers at the stables of area inns.
CROCCANTE: Croccante, “crunchy,” are crisp nutty sweets that are a cross between a cookie and a candy. They can be made with all sorts of nuts. Pistachio croccante are a specialty of Sicily, which is renowned for its Bronte pistachios.
FAVE DEI MORTI: Fave dei morti, “dead man’s beans,” are bean-shaped cookies made with almonds, pine nuts, and egg whites. They are traditionally eaten on November 1st for All Soul’s Day and originated in the Umbria and Lombardy regions of Italy.
KRUMIRI OR CRUMIRI: Krumiri were created in Casale Monferrato, a small town in Piedmont, as tribute to Vittorio Emanuele II (1820–1878), the first king of Italy. Made of flour, butter, and honey, their shape is thought to be based on the king’s handlebar mustache.
RICCIARELLI: Originating in Siena in the Middle Ages, ricciarelli, “curly,” are soft oval-shaped cookies. They are made with ground almonds, sugar, honey, and egg whites and topped with confectioners’ sugar or chocolate. Ricciarelli are associated with the feast of the Annunciation (March 25) but are eaten all year long. The recipe for ricciarelli is one of Italy’s oldest. The cookie is documented as having been served on numerous important historic occasions dating back to the fifteenth century.
SAVOIARDI: Savoiardi, known as ladyfingers in the United States, were first created in the Piedmont region in 1348, during the early Renaissance, for the royal Savoia family—hence the cookie’s name. Savoiardi recipes are cited in several historic Italian cookbooks, including Bartolomeo Stefani’s Art of Good Cooking, published in 1662. Because Italian-made savoiardi soak up liquid so nicely, they are a key ingredient in hundreds of desserts, including charlottes, puddings, refrigerator cakes (page 75), and, of course, tiramisù (pages 131 and 133). This cookie is so important to Italians that the recipe is regulated and the name protected.
SFOGLIATELLE: Sfogliatelle, “little sheets,” are a flaky, fan-shaped pastry filled with either pastry custard or sweetened ricotta and semolina flour. A specialty of Naples, sfogliatelle are eaten mainly for breakfast and not as an after-meal dessert.
MAKES ABOUT 16
REGION: Sicily
Cannoli, deep-fried tubes of dough filled with sweetened ricotta, are the quintessential Sicilian dessert. I’ll be the first to admit that homemade cannoli shells are tricky to make! For the most part, not even Sicilian grandmas make them anymore. That said, I’ve experimented with several recipes, and this one is a keeper. Follow the directions and you’ll get a nice crunchy shell. Maybe not on the first one, but, as the saying goes, the more you make, the better they’ll look. You’ll be a pro by mid-batch.
The filling is delicious, and simple as can be. If you’re at all wary about making your own shells, make a deconstructed cannoli! Luigi Falanga, owner of Sabra, an artisan cookie company in Sicily, showed me how he serves cannoli filling on a plate accompanied by his crisp, crunchy pistachio croccante cookies to scoop it up.
figliuole e frittelle:
quante piú se ne fa,
piú vengon belle.
CHILDREN AND FRIED FOOD:
THE MORE YOU MAKE, THE BETTER
THEY COME OUT.
FOR THE FILLING (SEE NOTE):
Ricotta cheese 2 cups (1 pound/455 grams)
Superfine sugar 4 tablespoons
Mini chocolate chips or finely chopped dark chocolate 2 to 3 tablespoons
Candied citron or candied orange peel, finely minced 2 to 3 tablespoons, optional
FOR THE SHELLS:
00 flour 2 cups (9 ounces/255 grams)
Lard or butter 2 tablespoons
Sugar 3 tablespoons
Unsweetened cocoa powder 2 teaspoons; or ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon
Salt ¼ teaspoon
Egg 1 large, separated
Distilled white vinegar 2 teaspoons
Marsala wine 3 tablespoons
Sunflower or vegetable oil for frying
OPTIONAL FINISHING TOUCHES:
Candied fruit such as citron, cherries, or orange peel, chopped pistachios, or chocolate chips
Confectioners’ sugar
Make the filling: Combine the ricotta and sugar in a bowl and mash with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours. Pass the mixture through a food mill or fine-mesh sieve, then stir in the chocolate and candied citron (if using) and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the shells: In a large bowl, using your fingers, mix together the flour, lard, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until the lard is incorporated into the flour. Add the egg yolk (reserve the egg white for later), vinegar, and Marsala and mix until a firm dough forms. Add more Marsala, just a few drops at a time, if the dough is too dry, or more flour if the dough is too moist. Knead the dough until it is very smooth. You can do this by hand or you can pass the dough through a pasta machine several times. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Roll out the dough until it is very thin (about 1/10 inch/2.5 millimeters thick), using a rolling pin or by passing it once again through a pasta machine. If using a pasta machine, divide the dough in half and pass one of the halves through the pasta machine a few times, until you can pass it through the middle-sized opening to create a long, thin sheet of dough. Cover the sheet of dough with plastic wrap and repeat with the remaining dough.
Using a cookie cutter, or working freehand with a sharp knife, cut the dough into roughly 4-inch (10-centimeter) ovals or rectangles to fit 5-inch- (12.5-centimeters) diameter metal cannoli tubes.
Use a deep fryer, or heat about 2 inches (5 centimeters) oil in a small, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. You can test to see if the oil is hot enough by putting a tiny piece of dough into the hot oil. If it rises to the top fairly quickly, the oil is hot enough.
Lightly oil the outside of the cannoli tubes. Wrap an oval around a tube and brush the edge of the dough with a little egg white at the point where the edges will overlap. Press firmly to seal. Repeat with the remaining tubes. Fry the tubes, a few at a time, turning them gently, until golden on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Turn them so that they drain completely. Carefully remove the shells from the hot tube and, once the tubes have cooled, repeat with the remaining dough. The cannoli shells can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Put filling into each shell, either with a piping bag or using a small spoon and putting some in through one end and some through the other end. Garnish the exposed filling, if you like, with candied fruit, pistachios, or chocolate chips, and dust the top of the pastry with confectioners’ sugar. Serve within 1 hour of filling.
NOTE: The secret to really great cannoli filling is to let the ricotta and sugar mixture rest in the refrigerator overnight—preferably 24 hours. This lets the sugar dissolve and combine smoothly with the cheese to create that lush mouthfeel. Another plus: This technique allows you to use less sugar. You may be tempted to muscle your way through and blend the ricotta and sugar with an electric hand mixer to get it creamy, but don’t. You’ll risk having a watery ricotta, and you’ll need to add more sugar to thicken it.
You will need special metal cannoli tubes, about ½ by 5-inches, which are available online, through Amazon, Chef Tools, and other suppliers of kitchen equipment, or in specialty gourmet shops.
Although originally eaten only during Carnival, now cannoli are enjoyed year round throughout Italy. As Carnival celebrations are traditionally bawdy, the naturally phallic shape of cannoli is exaggerated by making extra-jumbo-sized ones, called cannolone.
According to Sicilian tradition, when you offer cannoli to guests, there have to be at least twelve on the serving plate. Interestingly, in the Smorfia Napoletana, a series of numbers given by the reading of dreams to play the Lotto, the number thirty-four is called il Cannolo and signifies that you’ll soon get good news.
SERVES 6
REGION: Puglia
“Apostles’ fingers,” as they’re called in Italy, is a weird name for a delicious dessert. If you like cannoli, you’ll love these. They’re made with the same sort of filling, but served in crêpes instead of fried tubes. The crêpes—flourless, light, and very aromatic—are also terrific simply spread with Nutella or crema gianduia.
quattro “g” vuole il
formaggio: grande,
grasso, grave, e gratis dato.
CHEESE IS BEST WITH FOUR GS: GRAND,
GREASY, GREAT, AND GIVEN FOR FREE.
Ricotta cheese 1½ cups (12 ounces/340 grams)
Sugar ½ cup (3½ ounces/100 grams)
Dark chocolate 1½ ounces/40 grams, grated on a cheese grater
Aromatic liqueur or wine, such as limoncello, Strega, or Marsala 3 tablespoons
Eggs 4 large
Milk 4 tablespoons
Pinch of salt
Butter for the pan
Confectioners’ sugar
Press the ricotta and granulated sugar through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Add the chocolate and 1 tablespoon of the liqueur and, using a fork, mix until well combined. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours so it thickens and the flavors combine.
In another medium bowl, using a whisk or an electric hand-mixer, beat together the eggs, milk, the remaining 2 tablespoons liqueur, and salt until well combined. Let rest for 30 minutes.
Lightly butter a 12-inch (30.5-centimeter) nonstick sauté pan and place it over medium heat. Pour about a third of the batter into the center of the pan and swirl the pan to spread the batter evenly. Cook on one side just until dry on top, then gently turn the crêpe over and cook the other side; remove to a cutting board. Repeat with the remaining batter, lightly buttering the pan before adding the batter for each crêpe. You should get three 12-inch (30.5-centimeter) crêpes, which, when cut, will yield 10 to 12 dita (or “fingers”) per crêpe. Let cool to room temperature, then stack the crêpes on the board.
Cut the crêpes, one at a time, into 3-inch- (7.5 centimeters) wide strips: You’ll have 4 long strips and 2 smaller end pieces (discard or snack on the end pieces). Cut the 4 longer sections in half crosswise. Put a heaping tablespoon of the filling onto each strip, spread it evenly, and roll into small fingers. The edges stay open, just like a jelly roll.
Arrange on a platter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until cold and firm, before serving. Serve topped with a light sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar.
UN ALTRO MODO
Add any of the following to the ricotta filling, if you like: 1 tablespoon minced candied orange peel or zest of ¼ orange or ½ lemon; 3 tablespoons brandied cherries, chopped, plus some of the liquid; or a pinch of ground cinnamon.
“Taste!” commanded my Italian journalist friend, handing me a cookie as we navigated the vastness of Cibus, Parma’s prestigious fancy food show. “This just won the Cibus 2008’s Vassoio d’Oro prize for il miglior nuovo prodotto dolciario dell’anno—the best new dessert product of the year! It’s made by Falanga-Sabra, a Sicilian company.”
Even before taking a bite of the pretty pistachio-studded flat square, I’m hit with the aroma of roasted nuts and caramelized sugar. And the flavor? A cross between nut brittle and butter cookie. Crunchy but not dry, sweet but not too sweet, and full of pistachio flavor. Sicilian pistachios are unmistakable, and these are fabulous.
My friend introduced me to the company’s owner, Luigi Falanga, a charming and energetic gentleman whose passion for Sicily and its sweets was so compelling that right then and there I asked if I might schedule a tour of his facility for my next trip to Italy. Months later, I made my visit to Catania. Entering the workroom, I am enveloped by the mouthwatering aromas of sugar, citrus fruit, and roasting nuts. Several bakers are busy mixing batter and baking cookies in small batches, and soon I am transported to my childhood, to my nonna’s house, when she would gather all my cousins into the kitchen to help her bake during the holidays.
Luigi hands me a small round lemon-almond cookie, made with Sicily’s renowned lemons, fresh from the oven. Ambrosia! What makes these so good? I nibble as he explains the premise behind his cookies: “I wanted to create old-fashioned cookies, featuring only the very best all-natural Sicilian ingredients—lemons, pistachios, almonds, oranges, and honey—but to make them in a more modern size and shape and with less sugar.” Falanga’s mission is personal. His grandfather was a pastry chef, and every afternoon after school he’d visit his nonno’s shop, where he absorbed a philosophy that stayed with him: “Only bake with a soul that is happy and full of love.” Years later, by then a successful financial consultant, Luigi still harbored a dream: to follow in his grandfather’s confectionery footsteps and in the process reinvigorate Sicilian cookies and pastries. In 1997, he quit finance completely and founded his confectionery, Falanga, la Pasticceria Siciliana. He spent two more years testing and refining his products.
Today, Falanga’s Sabra products number in the dozens, available not just in shops and hotels in Sicily but at select outlets around the United States, too. In addition to the award-winning pistachio-almond croccante, the company’s signature cookie offerings include Almond “stelle,” “rose,” and “gocce” (stars, roses, and drops), two kinds of butter cookies, hazelnut gocce, chocolate gocce, and many more. All are individually seal-wrapped immediately after baking, so even though they’re preservative-free their shelf-life is quite long and well suited for export.
Luigi Falanga’s enthusiasm is infectious. He is a man who has methodically chosen to follow his heart—and it guided him straight back to the warmest memories of his childhood. To him, “It is a delight to follow in my family’s pastry tradition, which is also such a strong Sicilian tradition. My mission is to use artisan craftsmanship in creating our cookies, and employ industrial techniques only for the nonedible aspects of the business—packing, shipping, and the like. This marriage between artisanal and industrial allows our company the honor of being able to export the best of Sicily’s sweets around the world.”
MAKES 2 DOZEN
REGION: Sicily
A Sicilian classic! A satisfyingly moist, lemony center encased in a crunchy sesame-seed crust. This is a bullet-proof recipe that produces pastry shop–perfect cookies every time.
The various names for these cookies run the gamut, from the elegant biscotti regina, “queen’s cookie,” to the comical strunzi di sciocca, “chicken’s poop,” to the slightly irreverent strunzi d’ancilu, “angel’s poop.”
vari sono degli
uomini i capricci: a chi
piace la torta, a chi i pasticci
PEOPLE DIFFER;
SOME LIKE CAKE, SOME LIKE COOKIES.
(TO EACH HIS OWN.)
All-purpose flour 2 cups (12 ounces/350 grams)
Sugar ½ cup (3½ ounces/100 grams)
Butter, olive oil, or lard 8 tablespoons (4 ounces/115 grams)
Eggs 3 large, separated
Milk 2 tablespoons
Honey 1 tablespoon
Grated zest of ½ lemon
Salt ¼ teaspoon
Sesame seeds ¾ cup (3½ ounces/100 grams)
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and butter until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the egg yolks, milk, honey, lemon zest, and salt and knead until a dough forms. Roll the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet until light golden. Set aside in a shallow bowl or plate.
In a small bowl, using a fork, beat the egg whites with 3 tablespoons water. Divide the chilled dough into 4 portions. Roll each section out into a log about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) thick. Cut the log into 1½-inch (4-centimeter) sections.
Dip each section in the egg whites, then roll in the sesame seeds, covering all sides, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden. Cool on a wire rack. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.
NOTE: Butter or oil will give these cookies a softer center, while lard will make them crunchier.
MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN
REGION: Abruzzo, Calabria, and Lazio
Filled with chocolate, ground almonds, and grape jam, these tiny, two-bite mini pies have an intriguing combination of flavors.
If the idea of making piecrust seems daunting, you’ll love this recipe. Unlike most dough for pies and tarts, this one doesn’t require rolling or chilling and is just pressed into molds. Made with olive oil, not butter, these mini pies are healthy as well as tasty.
Like so many dishes in Italy, bocconotti vary from region to region. This recipe is from Abruzzo, where they are filled with either a cooked reduced dessert wine called “vin cotto” or with a jam made from the local exquisite Montelpuciano grapes. In Calabria, they are filled instead with just marmalade, and in the Lazio region, with sweetened ricotta.
bisogna aprir la
bocca second i bocconi.
HOW WIDE YOU HAVE TO OPEN YOUR
MOUTH DEPENDS ON THE SIZE
OF THE MOUTHFUL.
Egg yolks 6 large
Sugar ½ cup (3½ ounces/100 grams)
Olive or other vegetable oil ½ cup (4 fluid ounces/120 milliliters)
Pure vanilla extract ½ teaspoon
Grated zest of 1 lemon
All-purpose flour 17/8 cups (8 ounces/225 grams)
Grape Jam (page 202) or store-bought ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces/180 milliliters)
Almond flour or very finely ground blanched almonds 1/3 cup (1 2/3 ounces/45 grams)
Dark chocolate 2 ounces/55 grams, grated on a cheese grater
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
In a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar and beat with an electric mixer until golden yellow and creamy. Add the oil, vanilla, and half of the lemon zest and beat until combined. Gradually add the flour, mixing until a dough forms. Set aside.
In another medium bowl, combine the jam, almond flour, chocolate, cinnamon, and remaining lemon zest and stir until well combined.
Lightly oil 36 mini muffin cups or 2-inch (5 centimeters) tart molds. Press about 1 rounded tablespoon of the dough into the bottom of each mold. Top with a heaping tablespoon of the jam mixture. Take another tablespoon of the dough and press it flat with your palms. Top the filling with the disk of dough and press it into the edges of the mold to seal. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes.
SERVES 10
REGION: Emilia-Romagna, especially Bologna
Today, this is one of the most popular homemade desserts of northern Italy, making an appearance at virtually every potluck, birthday, and office party.
A quick glance at the list of ingredients and you’d think this is just another rice pudding recipe, but it’s not! Although it does start out as rice pudding, it’s jazzed up with rum, almonds, and citrus, baked, and then topped with almond liqueur, which creates a tasty glaze. Finally it’s cooled, cut into bite-sized diamond shapes and, as is tradition, served with toothpicks. The result is a fabulous sort of a rice pudding “cookie.”
This dessert takes its name from the Festa degli Addobbi, a religious festival that takes place in late spring in Bologna. Addobbare means to decorate or dressup and, during the festival, religious statues are paraded through town. In the past, parishioners would decorate windows and balconies with flowers, wreaths, banners, and other adornments and invite neighbors from nearby parishes to the celebration. Torta degli addobbi would be served, with each parish vying for best recipe.
il riso nasce
nell’acqua ma deve
morire nel vino.
RICE IS BORN IN WATER,
BUT DIES IN WINE.
Milk 4 cups (32 fluid ounces/960 milliliters)
Sugar 1¼ cups (8¾ ounces/250 grams)
Grated zest of ½ lemon
Salt ¼ teaspoon
White rice ½ cup (3½ ounces/100 grams)
Candied citron or candied lemon peel 2½ ounces/70 grams, finely minced
Whole almonds ½ cup (3 ounces/85 grams)
Butter for the pan
Plain bread crumbs for the pan
Eggs 9 large, beaten
Rum ½ cup (4 fluid ounces/120 milliliters)
Almond liqueur, such as Amaretto 4 tablespoons
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, sugar, lemon zest, and salt and bring to a low boil. Add the rice, stirring to combine. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is dense and ivory colored, about 2 hours. Stir in the candied citron, transfer to a large bowl, and refrigerate until cold. You can do this the day before, if you like.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast them until light golden and fragrant. Let cool completely, then grind in a mini food processor until they resemble coarse sand. Set aside.
Butter a 9-by-13-by-2-inch (23-by-33-by-5-centimeter) baking pan (it has to be large enough so that the rice can be spread to a depth of about 1 inch/2.5 centimeters) and sprinkle with bread crumbs to lightly coat the pan.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, almonds, and rum until well combined, then fold in the cold rice mixture. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour, until firm and golden. Immediately sprinkle the top with the liqueur. Let cool completely but do not refrigerate. You can cut the cake into any shapes you like. For the traditional presentation, cut the cake lengthwise into four 13-inch-long strips, then cut each strip on an angle to make 5 diamonds per strip. (You’ll end up with a few little scrap triangles at the end, which you can eat immediately as your reward for all this baking.) Serve with toothpicks. It’s best eaten immediately, but leftovers will keep a day or two.
SERVES 4 TO 6
This is an adorable dessert. It really looks like a salami, especially the way Italians serve it: coated in confectioners’ sugar, tied with kitchen twine like real salami, and placed on a wooden cutting board. When it’s sliced, the nuts and cookie bits add to the salami look on the inside, too.
aver le fette di
salame sugli occhi.
TO HAVE SLICES OF SALAMI
OVER YOUR EYES.
(MISSING THE OBVIOUS.)
Dark chocolate 2 ounces/55 grams
Butter 5 tablespoons (2½ ounces/70 grams), softened
Butter cookies, such as petit buerre 8 ounces/226 grams, coarsely chopped
Nuts, such as pistachios or hazelnuts, coarsely chopped 4 heaping tablespoons
Brewed espresso, or rum 1 tablespoon
Confectioners’ sugar
Put the chocolate in a small bowl and melt it, either in a microwave oven or over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Let cool to room temperature and set aside.
Beat the butter with a whisk or electric mixer until creamy and smooth. Stir in the chocolate, cookies, nuts, and espresso until well combined. Spoon the mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper and form into a salami shape about 6 inches (15 centimeters) long and 2 inches (5 centimeters) thick. Wrap well and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.
To serve, roll the “salami” in confectioners’ sugar and tie with kitchen twine so it looks even more like the real thing.
