Almost as traditional for Italians as fritters are for us, this historical delicacy is prepared at this time to accompany different dishes or drinks.

Where does it come from?

Biscotti di Prato: this is the name of a traditional cookie from Tuscany, where it was made with almonds, which were abundant in the region. Although it is believed that it was created in that place, the reality is that it dates back a few centuries, in ancient Rome. The word biscotti is derived from the Latin biscoctus, which means twice baked or cooked: the dough is formed into logs, baked, cooled, and baked again.

Since the double baking of this biscuit made it hard and dry, it became one of the favorite foods for the Roman legions and later for navigators, as it was resistant to mold. Although there are different versions in other countries, they are derived from this one, considered the original.

In the 90's, they became popular in our continent, starting with the United States (where there are large Italian communities), until they became the most common cookie – especially consumed at Christmas time.

Types of biscotti

Classics like almond and anise biscotti are just as common as more modern versions: ginger, with blueberries , maple, chocolate chips... And it's made the traditional way (with egg) or with butter or oil. In Italy, the recipe depends on the region; In addition to the classics, there are also amaretto, lemon, hazelnut, among others.

There are also savory ones, with cheeses, herbs, garlic, used to accompany everything from cheese boards to soups, or as was traditionally done, with wine; although originally it was accompanied by Vino Santo, a sweet wine from Tuscany.

Pistachio Biscotti

Among the various nuts, spirits and fruits used for these Italian cookies, our favorite is the pistachio, which is also one of our new products. We leave you our recipe so you can make your own biscotti to share this Christmas season.

Ingredients

250 gr of wheat flour

3⁄4 cup fine sugar

1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1⁄2 cup pistachio chopped

For the icing:

• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon of milk
• 1 tablespoon of fine sugar

Preparation

1. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, whole eggs and yolk, beating until smooth.

2. Add the chopped pistachios and knead gently with your fingers.

3. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, shape into a ball and divide into 4 evenly sized pieces.

4. Roll each quarter of dough into logs 5cm wide and 15cm long.

5. Preheat the oven to 230oC.

6. Line a baking sheet with lightly oiled parchment paper, placing the logs on the sheet at least 5cm apart (they will expand when baked).

7. Mix the yolk and milk for the glaze and brush it all over the top and sides of the logs with a pastry brush.

8. Sprinkle with the fine sugar

9. Bake until the biscotti is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

10. Lower the oven temperature to 175oC and remove the logs from the oven.

11. Wait 10 minutes and slice the logs into 2.5cm slices while they are still warm. Place each slice on the baking sheet and bake for another 15 minutes.

12. Remove the slices from the tray and let them cool completely and they are ready to eat.

Notes

• Store biscotti in airtight container; they'll keep for several weeks, though they're so delicious they probably won't last more than a few days.

• Remember that you can substitute pistachios for almonds, walnuts, add blueberries, chocolate chips, raisins, you can even use our mix of red fruits (which you can also buy online).

• The citrus fruits give it a wonderful flavor, so we also recommend using orange or lemon dehydrated or in essence.

• The liquors also give it an incredible touch; our favorites are rum and anise.

• If you feel that your dough is too dry, you can add another egg, or a couple of tablespoons of liquor.

• If it's the opposite and you think your dough is too sticky, you can add a couple of tablespoons of flour.

• In case you live somewhere with high humidity, we recommend putting the logs in the refrigerator for about twenty minutes before baking so they keep their shape as much as possible.

• As a curious fact, the correct way to refer to only one of these cookies is actually “biscotto” since “biscotti” is the plural.

• To cut the logs, the ideal is to use a serrated knife, preferably one specifically for bread.

• If you slice logs fresh from the oven they will most likely be too brittle, but if you wait too long they will be very hard, so ideally only a few minutes after removal.

We hope you enjoy this delicious “tradizione di natale” and add it to your own traditions. If you made the recipe, tell us on social networks and remember that in addition to finding our products in stores like Walmart, Superama, Bodega Aurrera, H-E-B, laComer and Alsuper, you can now order online! Visit our website and find all our products as well as recipes, notes with many curious facts and our new store.