L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.com 12 THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015 L'Italo-Americano Once upon a time you had to g o t o I t a l y f o r b i s c o t t i . Thankfully, those days are long gone, and today these iconic cookies can be found in neigh- borhood coffee shops and restau- r a n t s e v e r y w h e r e . B u t w h o wouldn't agree that homemade is always better than store-bought? With a copy of Ciao Biscotti, Domenica Marchetti's newest book in hand, you'll find yourself turning out batch after batch of these twice-baked delights in your own kitchen. This charming volume, with beautiful photo- graphs by Antonis Achilleos, is packed with tips on technique and ingredients, and clear recipes make the baking easy. Classic flavors like almond, hazelnut, and anise are here, as are honey, olive oil, pistachio, walnut, and c i t r u s . T h e r e a r e c h o c o l a t e flecked cookies too, and dried fruit if that is your pleasure. T h e r e a r e e v e n g i a n t s i z e Cappucino Dunkers. Ms. Marchetti also ventures to the savory side. With creations like Mountain Gorgonzola and W a l n u t , A l m o n d a n d A g e d Asiago, and Crispy Pancetta, these flavor packed cookies are ideal for snacking, hors d'oeu- vres or with antipasti. This little book is the welcome addition to any cook's bookshelf and would make a perfect hostess gift at Easter. For a taste of Ciao Biscotti, try Glassato al Limone. Buttery, packed with lemon flavor, and twice-baked to a toothsome cri- spness, these cookies are a per- fect introduction to this wonder- ful volume. I c e d T r i p l e L e m o n - Glassato al Limone • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil • 2 ¼ cups/285 g unbleached all-purpose flour • ½ c u p / 1 0 0 g g r a n u l a t e d sugar • ¼ cup/50 g firmly packed light brown sugar • 1 tsp baking powder • ½ tsp fine sea salt • Finely grated zest of 2 orga- nic lemons, plus 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed juice • 1 cup/80 g sliced almonds, toasted • 8 Tbsp/115 g unsalted butter, at cool room temperature, cut into ½-in/12-mm pieces • 1 ¼ tsp pure lemon extract • 1 cup/100 g confectioners' sugar, sifted • A few drops of half-and-half or milk, as needed Makes 24 to 26 biscotti Heat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Lightly coat an 11-by-17-in/28- by-43-cm rimmed baking sheet with the oil. Combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking pow- der, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix briefly on low speed. Add the lemon zest and almonds and mix briefly on low to combine. Add the butter in pie- c e s a n d m i x o n m e d i u m - l o w "Ciao Biscotti" the newest book from food writer Domenica Marchetti ADRI BARR CROCETTI speed until the mixture looks like damp sand. Pour in the eggs, 1 Tbsp of the lemon juice, and 1 tsp of the lemon extract and mix on medium speed until a soft, slightly sticky dough has for- med. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and pat it into a disk. Divide it in half. Lightly moisten your hands with water and gently roll one portion of dough into a rough oval. Place it lengthwise on one half of the baking sheet and use your hands and fingers to stretch and pat the dough into a log about 2 ½ in/6 cm wide and 12 in/30 cm long. Shape the second piece of dough in the same way, moistening your hands as neces- sary. Press down on the logs to flatten them out a bit and make the tops even. Bake the logs for 25 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and just set—they should be springy to the touch and there should be cracks on the surface. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack. Gently slide an off- set spatula under each log to loo- sen it from the baking sheet. Let the logs cool for 5 minutes, and then transfer them to the rack a n d l e t c o o l f o r 2 0 m i n u t e s . Lower the oven temperature to 325°F/165°C. Transfer the cooled logs to a c u t t i n g b o a r d a n d , u s i n g a Santoku knife or a serrated bread knife, cut them on the diagonal into ¾-in-/2-cm-thick slices. Arrange the slices, cut-side up, on the baking sheet (in batches if n e c e s s a r y ) a n d b a k e f o r 1 0 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake for another 10 minutes, until they are crisp. Transfer the slices to the rack to cool comple- tely. Place the rack over a rimmed baking sheet or a sheet of wax paper. Arrange the slices upright on the rack. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectio- ners' sugar with the remaining 2 T b s p l e m o n j u i c e a n d ¼ t s p lemon extract until the icing is smooth and opaque, but still thin enough to fall from the tip of the whisk in a ribbon. If necessary, dribble in a few drops of half- and-half to loosen the icing. Dip the tip of the whisk or a fork into the icing and drizzle the ribbon of icing back and forth over the biscotti. Let the icing dry completely before serving. The biscotti will keep for up to 10 days in an airtight container stored at room temperature. What to drink: A small glass of Strega, a saffron-tinged herbal liqueur from Italy's Campania region; or, for something more conventional, a glass of limon- cello. Recipe reprinted from Ciao Biscotti by Domenica Marchetti, published by Chronicle Books Q u e s t i o n s ? E m a i l m e a t adri@AdriBarrCrocetti.com or visit AdriBarrCrocetti.com An assortment of biscotti from Domenica Marchetti's new book "Ciao Biscotti" MAESTRO BRAND ITALIAN SAUSAGE Also served at many of your favorite restaurants! www.maestrosausage.com Find us exclusively at the following retailers: Sorrento Italian Market 5518 Sepulveda Blvd. Culver City, CA 90230 Beef Palace Butcher Shop 5895 Warner & Springdale HunƟngton Beach, CA 92649 The Butchery 415 South Associated Rd Brea, CA 92821 The Butchery 103 E. 17th Street Costa Mesa, CA 92627 The Meat House 23982 Alicia Parkway Mission Viejo, CA 92691 Vicente Foods 12027 San Vicente Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049 Roma Italian Deli & Grocery 918 North Lake Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91104 Bay CiƟes Imports 1517 Lincoln Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90401 Eastside Market Italian Deli 1013 Alpine St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 Eagle Rock Italian Bakery 1726 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041 CavareƩa's Italian Deli 22045 Sherman Way Canoga Park, CA 91303 Mickey's Deli 101 Hermosa Beach Ave. Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 Grand View Market 12210 Venice Blvd Mar Vista, CA 90291 Venice Ranch Market 425 Rose Ave Venice, CA 90291

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