Ingredients
For dough (makes about 2 dozen cookies)
1 1/4 cups blanched whole almonds*
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons icing sugar
2 egg whites, beaten stiff
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon almond extract
For topping
about 1/8 cup icing sugar
about 1/4 cup blanched whole almonds
*Blanched whole almonds ground at home produce a better tasting amaretti than those made with store-bought almond powder.
Directions
o Preheat oven to 325 F degrees.
o Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites and beat until the egg whites form peaks.
o Add almond extract to the beaten egg whites.
o Slowly add 1/4 cup sugar to the egg whites, beating after every addition.
o Grind the almonds with 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons icing sugar.
o Fold the egg white mixture with the ground almonds.
o Flatten out the cookie dough (the dough should be relatively soft, almost like a batter) on parchment paper.
o Take small chunks of dough and form golf-sized dough balls.
o Roll each dough ball in icing sugar.
o Place the dough balls on 2 cookie sheets lined with parchment paper, making sure there is ample space (at least 1 1/2 inches apart) between the cookies as they will spread.
o Flatten the dough balls a little.
o Press a blanched almond in the center of each cookie.
o Bake until the cookies are cooked through -- about 14 minutes.
o Cool.
Notes
Photo: Mary Melfi. | 
