Ingredients
440 grams (about 15 1/2 ounces) Hungarian four or extra fine flour
160 grams (about 5 2/3 ounces) potato flour
160 grams (about 5 2/3 ounces) icing sugar
160 grams (about 5 2/3 ounces) butter, cut in small pieces
2 egg whites
lukewarm milk, as needed
Original Italian text
Farina d'Ungheria o finissima, grammi 440
Farina di patate, grammi 160
Zucchero a velo, grammi 160
Burro, grammi 160
Due chiare d'uovo
Latte tiepido, quanto basta
Directions
Mix the extra fine [wheat] flour, the potato flour and icing sugar together.
Place the mixture on a wooden board and make a mound.
Make a hole in the mound and add the egg whites and butter, and incorporate the ingredients, blending them, adding some lukewarm milk, so that the dough is a bit on the soft side.
Roll out the dough into the thickness of a large coin.
Cut into disks, and using a fork, pork holes on the surface of the disks.
Place the cooked on greased cookie sheet and bake in a Dutch oven.
Even half this recipe will make a good number of cookies.
Original Italian text
Farmate un monticello sulla spianatoia con le due farine e lo zucchero mescolati insieme.
Fategli una buca in mezzo, collocateci le chiare e il burro a pezzetti e, colla lama di un coltello prima e con le mani dopo, servendovi del latte, intridetelo e lavoratel mezz'ora circa per ottenere un pastone piuttosto tenero.
Tiratelo col matterello in una sfoglia della grossezza di uno scudo, tagliatela a dischi rotondi, bucherellateli con le punte di una forchetta e cuoceteli al forno o al forno da campagna in una teglia unta col burro.
Con sola mezza dose della ricetta se ne ottengono assai.
Notes
The recipe in this entry was taken from "La Scienza in Cucina e L'Arte di Mangiar Bene manuale Pratico per le Famiglie" compilato da Pellegrino Artusi. The book was first published in 1891. Since then many Italian editions have been published. English translations of this cookbook under the title "Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well" are available. At www.archive.org Olga Ragusa's selection of recipes from Pellegrino's famous Italian cookbook can be found in its entirety (It's free to download). Her selection entitled, "The Italian Cook Book," was first published in 1945 by S.F. Vanni.... P.S. The cookbook author notes in the introduction to this recipe that "Mistresss Wood, a pleasant English lady, offered me tea with the cookies she herself made, and then had the courtesy, rarely found in pretentious chefs, of giving me the recipe for them." Photo: Mary Melfi. |
