Pine Nut Macaroons - Biscotti di Pinoli
Sometimes Italy makes me speechless and other times it gives me endless words that seem to come to me faster then they can spill out of my mouth or my fingertips can type. These cookies seem to have taken my words from me....but luckily they have filled the emptiness with sweet almond deliciousness, toasted pine nut nuttiness and smiles:)
I first made and fell in love with these when I had my Italian cafe. I found the recipe in a cookbook of my mom's and out of curiosity (and my passion for almond paste) I had to try them. They are simple to make and even simpler to eat with a soft texture on the inside and a light crispiness on the outside....you would never know that they are gluten free....yay! They are perfect for coffee or a teatime get together, an after dinner dessert or weekend morning treat....or maybe just a little mid afternoon indulgence. They are just one more happy reason for me (and you) to love Italy - the country that almost doesn't give any other country in the world a fighting chance when it comes to gorgeous edible works of art. You can't go wrong! Mangia!
The Recipe
italian pine nut macaroons
Biscotti di Pinoli
1 - 8 oz can almond paste
1/3 cup finely ground almonds
2 large egg whites
1 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting (if desired)
2 cups pine nuts
1. in a large bowl of an electric mixer, crumble the almond paste. On medium speed, add in the ground almonds, egg whites and the 1 cup powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
2. Scoop up a tablespoon of batter at a time. Roll the batter in the pine nuts, covering it completely and forming a ball. You can dampen your fingers lightly with cool water to prevent the batter from sticking to your hands before rolling in the pine nuts. Place the finished cookie on a parchment lined baking sheet and then repeat with the remaining ingredients, placing the cookies about 1 inch apart.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 min or until lightly browned. Let the baked cookies cool for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
4.When the cookies are completely cooled they can be dusted with powdered sugar before serving - if desired. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. This recipe should yield about 30 cookies
Buon Appetito! And remember....these cookies go well with wine!
A presto, Lonielle
