I am not going to bother being humble about this, okay. For some absurd reason I was gifted an ability to produce a fine pignoli cookie.
A very fine pignoli cookie.
As the holidays approach, I anticipate producing several batches of the chewy, almondy things. Just last week a delivery went out to Shyster Jersey Lawyer Friend. She had intervened on my behalf in a matter of (absolutely no conceivable) consequence. Still, my social etiquette-powered GPS pointed me in the direction of reciprocity. Shyster being rather sweet of tooth, cookies seemed the way to go.
A specialty of Southern Italy, pignoli cookies (so named for their outer layer of pine nuts) are a beloved dolce among Italian-Americans, especially around the holidays. It is not always easy to find a really good example of the cookie, as getting just the right texture and degree of sweetness can be tricky. Pignoli cookies must be chewy but not soft; sweet, but mildly so.
On the other hand, I can make a damned good cookie. So how hard can it be, right?
The full recipe for the dough is below, but there is not much to it at all; it is mainly almond paste and sugar, and takes only a few minutes to prepare. Once it’s made just put the dough in a bowl so you can start forming the cookies. In a separate bowl you’ve got your raw pine nuts.
The size of the cookie is up to you, but I make them about two inches around. All you do is pinch a bit of dough with your fingers and begin to form what approximates a cookie shape. You’ll see a separate bowl filled with water at the top. It’s best to wet your fingers before pinching a piece of dough; things go a lot more smoothly that way, believe me.
The only thing left to do now is roll the dough around in the pine nuts.
Then arrange the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and toss it in the oven.
About half an hour later you’ve got these pretty swell cookies to enjoy.
In this particular case it was a shyster lawyer from New Jersey who actually got to enjoy them, but you get the idea.
Makes about a dozen cookies
1 8-oz can almond paste (do NOT use the tubes; the texture is different)
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
8 oz raw pignoli (pine nuts)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
In a food processor, crumble the almond paste, then add the sugars and flour and mix until fine
Add the egg white and mix until dough forms
Empty the pignoli into a bowl
Scoop out small amounts of the dough (wet hands help and so I keep a bowl filled with water on hand), then roll in pignoli until coated
Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes
Rotate the sheet and bake another 10 minutes, or until cookies are golden
Allow to cool, give a light dusting of confectioners sugar and serve
Tags: cookies, dessert, pignoli cookies
Mister Meatball 