Brutti ma Buoni (ugly but good) cookies

“brutti ma buoni” cookies and small, sweet and italian cookbook

Original Headnote from Small, Sweet and Italian , ( 2013) page 113. My friend Sally shared this family recipe years ago and it continues to be one of my favorites. It’s best mixed old style with a wooden spoon. She also shared these tips: “be sure not to chop the nuts too much, just a few pulses. The large chunky hazelnuts give these cookies their character. Add egg whites as needed. If the dough is too wet, the cookies will spread too much. Don’t overbake and cool them on parchment paper.”

Recipe Renovation: These chunky hazelnut cookies really should have been included in my first cookbook. They are so tasty! The crispy version is often found in Italian bakeries. I never had a recipe for these cookies and never pursued one, as the first cookbook was meant to capture American-Italian home baked, family recipes. Years later, my great friend Sally Maraventano shared her recipe for these cookies and they have been my obsession ever since. I included this recipe in my last baking book, “Small Sweet and Italian “ which may have been a miss. These cookies are best big and chunky, not small and petite.

Roasting the nuts brings out more flavor and some of the skins add more texture. The video will give you a better idea of how wet the cookie dough should be!

BRUTTI MA BUONI COOKIES (GF)

MAKES ABOUT 16

2 cups whole hazelnuts with skin ( about 9 ounces)

11/2 cups confectioners sugar

2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 to 2 egg whites

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Spread hazelnuts onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Roast for 10 minutes.

3. Remove the nuts from the oven and place in a clean kitchen towel. Let steam in the towel for 3 to 5 minutes. Roll the towel back and forth to release some of the skins from the hazelnuts. Discard the skins. Let nuts cool.

4. In a food processor, pulse the nuts until coarsely chopped. Be sure to leave some large pieces.

5. In a medium bowl, combine chopped nuts, confectioners sugar, cocoa and cinnamon. Mix by hand until uniformly blended.

6. In a small bowl, beat 2 egg whites with a fork until slightly frothy.

7. Add half the egg whites and stir to moisten. Add more egg white, a teaspoon at time until the mixture is moist but not runny.

8. Using a household teaspoon, drop dough into heaping teaspoon size onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. ( you can use the same sheet and parchment form roasting the nuts)

9. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until firm.

10. Remove pan from the oven. Let cookies cool on parchment paper.

Roasting Hazelnuts for Brutti ma Buoni cookies

Half Moon Cookies “mezzaluna”

Half Moon Cookie “mezzaluna”

Original headnote from Sweet Maria’s Italian Cookie Tray Cookbook ( 1992) page 30

This is my own variation of my father’s favorite cookie. It’s a basic butter cookie shaped with a half moon cookie cutter and brushed with a beaten egg. For years we bought them at Ortone’s bakery, a popular local bakery operated by family friends. The had a great business during World War II, shipping these cookies overseas to homesick troops. I’ve developed my own version and Dad likes them just fine.

Recipe Renovation: These cookies are one of my favorites, too, simple and classic. My Dad did like this version I created but nothing can quite compare to his food memory of this cookie, the legendary Ortone bakery and the bustling Waterbury community it served.

This version adds orange oil instead of orange juice for a unique flavor. Also added a bit of salt.

HALF MOON COOKIES ‘MEZZALUNA”

MAKES 30 COOKIES

1/2 pound butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon orange oil

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer ( or with a hand mixer, cream the butter, sugar and confectioners sugar until light. Add extracts, oil and 1 egg. Mix until blended.

2. On low speed gradually add the flour and salt and mix just until incorporated.

3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or overnight.

4. Preheat oven to 350 F.

5. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut shapes using a 3-inch crescent shaped cookie cutter. Place cookies onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, spacing each 2 inches apart.

6. In a small bowl, beat remaining egg. Brush egg onto the tops of the cookies.

7. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove cookie sheet from the oven and cool cookies on a wire cooling rack. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.