Spicchiteddi - Spiced Mosto Cotto Cookies - Recipe by Victoria Granof
Ingredients
500 g all-purpose flour, or 450 g 00 flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup (240mL) mosto cotto (page 225), or Middle Eastern grape syrup
60 g unsalted butter, melted
1 sachet vanillina (see page 23), or 1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 2 mandarins and 1 lemon, or 1 orange and 1 lemon
1 cup (120 g) whole blanched almonds
Method
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, pepper, salt, baking soda and baking powder into a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mosto cotto, melted butter, vanillina and zest. Stir this into the flour mixture, mixing well to combine and form a dough. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 180 C.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into fourths. Divide each fourth into 12 pieces. Roll the pieces into ropes about 10 cm long and curl them into spirals of different sizes and shapes. As you work, place the spirals on the baking sheets with two finger-widths between each. Push the spirals together in pairs. When they are all formed, press 2 almonds into each cookie.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until firm to the touch and nicely browned. Allow to cool completely, then store airtight for up to a month.
