My aunt "retired" from making Christmas cookies a few years ago. Since then, I've been making basic cookies (chocolate chip, oatmeal, sugar, etc.). This year, I'm trying some more elaborate recipes and making a variety of Italian Christmas cookies.
I often visit the cooking with nonna site. Nonna makes many dishes I'm familiar with. But I do tend to get impatient with the grand-daughter as she is very slow in action. For example, when she's stirring or pouring or assembling something, as Nonna stands there patiently supervising. I haven't watched her making any cookies. I can just imagine how long that would take her. Well at least it's better than what my grand-mother did with me in her garden when she told me not to touch anything!
Oh, that sounds GOOD! I'd like to have a recipe for that!
I'm going to try the ricotta cookies this weekend. I'm debating on whether to put icing on them or not. My aunt never did, but I might get a little fancy.
jennabet, I can relate! And thanks for the heads up about the site. I haven't fully explored it yet. I've been digging up family recipes all day and might just use them instead . . . with my own personal flare. Kind of holding my breath hoping for the best. I'm pretty good with baking but I have a hard act to follow.
BrownEyedGirl, I understand perfectly. Yes we do have a hard act to follow. Actually here in Italy many of those cookie recipes, depending on region (I'm in Abruzzo) are available in the bakery shops but they are still made in the home as well. Some families are strict traditionalists no matter how busy they are this time of year. Yesterday, Dec. 8 Feast of Immaculate Conception was the start of the season and our Christmas lights supplied by the Comune came on all over the city. Every year we have a different theme. This year on my street we have Silver, Blue, Red, Green and Yellow lights in the shape of Wind Surfs because we live near the Sea.
James Graham, pepper in a sweet dough is really good. I've tasted that type of cookie when vendors from other regions bring them to street fairs. Is your family from Puglia?
@ jennabet; My family is either from Teramo or Caserta that I can trace. I believe my great grand mother is from Basilicata but there is no definitive proof.
@BrownEyedGirl; The only recipe I have on hand is the Walnut Pepper Cookies, the others I get if you'd like from my aunt.
Walnut Black Pepper Cookies I believe these were originally made with hazelnuts, as rumor has suggested
½ cup soft unsalted butter
3 tablespoons cane sugar
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of salt
3 tablespoons semi-runny honey
1 cup (4 oz.) raw walnuts, pounded or coarsely ground
1 cup flour
Extra granulated sugar, for sprinkling the cookies
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the black pepper, pinch of salt and honey; mix to incorporate.
Add the nuts and flour and ix with an electric mixer until the dough forms moist clumps, a few minutes.
Roll large teaspoonfuls of batter between your hands, to make little balls.
Place the balls on a baking sheet and press down on them twice with the tine of the fork to make a crosshatch pattern.
Sprinkle with a little bit of granulated sugar.
Bake the cookies for 25 minutes or until their bottoms have turned golden-nutty brown.
Set aside to cool.
Thank you for this recipe! My mother and I are going to bake a batch next week. I'll post a picture here after they're made. I'm excited about it! My mother's family was from Campania (Caserta & Salerno), but she's never heard of these cookies.
If it's not too much trouble, I would love the other recipes. But please don't put yourself out.
Brown Eyed, I was born and raised in Wilmington, DE. Moved to Abruzzo in 2001 when I got my Italian passport to get to know the part of my family that stayed behind when the others went to America. Have had no desire to ever live in the USA again.
During the mass emigration from Italy during the century between 1876 to 1976, the U.S. was the largest single recipient of Italian immigrants in the world. However, their impact was not as great as countries like Argentina and Brazil. That was due to the fact that hundreds of thousands of immigrant...
Kind of holding my breath hoping for the best. I'm pretty good with baking but I have a hard act to follow.
