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Cookies without Nuts
biscotti da famiglia
Biscotti da Famiglia/ Pellegrino Artusi's family biscuits (using icing sugar and vanilla sugar)
Originated from: Italy
Occasion: Any time
Contributed by: Taken from "La Scienza in Cucina e L'Arte di Mangiar Bene" compilato da Pellegrino Artusi (1891, 1907)

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Ingredients

250 grams (about 8 3/4 ounces) flour
50 grams (about 1 2/3 ounces) butter
50 grams (about 1 2/3 ounces) icing sugar
5 grams (about 1/5 of an ounce) powdered ammonia for baking [baking soda]
a pinch of salt
a touch of vanilla sugar
about 1 deciliter (about 1/3 cup) of lukewarm milk

Original Italian text
Farina, grammi 250
Burro, grammi 50
Zucchero a velo, grammi 50
Ammoniaca in polvere, grammi 5
Una presa di sale
Odore di vainiglia con zucchero vanigliato
Latte tiepido, un decilitro circa



Directions

These biscuits are inexpensive and easy to make, and can be served with tea or with any other beverage.

Place the flour on a wooden pastry board, make a mound and then make a hole in it.

Place all the ingredients except the milk in the hole (which will be used to moisten the dough.

Blend well, and work into a soft and smooth dough.

Roll out the dough with a ribbed rolling pin to the thickness of a large coin, dusting with flour if necessary. If you do not have a ribbed rolling pin, you can use a fork to make decorations on the dough.

You can cut the dough into strips about 2 centimeters wide and as long as finger, as I [Pellegrino Artusi] do or you can cut them into any shape you like.

Place them on a copper baking pan and bake them in a Dutch oven or a country-style one.



Original Italian text

Questi biscotti sono di poca spesa, facili a farsi e non privi di qualche merito perche possono servire tanto pel the quanto per qualunque altro liquido, inzuppandosi a maraviglia.



Fate una buca nel monte della farina, poneteci gl'ingredienti suddetti meno il latte, del quale vi servirete perintridere questa pasta, che deve riuscir morbida e deve essere dimenata molto onde si affini; poi tiratene una sfoglia grossa uno scudo, spolverizzandola di farina, se occorre, e per ultimo passateci sopra il matterello rigato, oppure servitevi della grattugia o di una forchetta per farle qualche ornamento. Dopo tagliate i biscotti nella forma che piu vi piace, se non volete farne delle striscie lunghe poca piu di un dito e larghe due centimetri come fo io. Collocateli senz altro in una teglia di rame e cuoceteli al forno o al forno da campagna.




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.... Photo: Mary Melfi.

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