Christmas, or “Natale,”
is when the warm heart of Italy opens to its fullest. Cities sparkle with
an unparalleled elegance, and the exuberant, generous Italian spirit is apparent
everywhere. Christmas is by far the most important holiday of the year in
Italy; the festivities last from December 24th through January 6th.
Family gatherings are the most important part of “Natale.” This is the
time of year when families reunite from whatever corners of the world they may
have scattered, and it is around the table, or “a tavola,” that Italian
families come together.
After a long dinner shared with loved ones, rich desserts, spiced breads
and traditional pastries are the perfect conclusion to an Italian holiday meal.
At many Christmas “tavolas” you will
find apple strudels, chocolate cakes, and amaretti puddings. A favorite holiday dessert is also “crostoli,”
or ribbon-shaped fried dough cookies.
At your Holiday “tavola” this year, impress your guests with a simple
but classic Italian dessert like Almond Pine Nut Cookies. You can make the elegant cookies yourself,
and compliment them with a selection of purchased Italian pastries. The perfect conclusion to a perfect meal!
For traditional Italian Almond Pine Nut Cookies, you will need:
2 7-ounce tubes of almond paste
1 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
Finely grated zest of one orange
1½ cups whole pine nuts
Baking sheet covered in parchment paper;
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Crumble almond paste into the work bowl of a food processor and process until
the paste is in fine crumbs. Sprinkle in the sugar with the motor running. Once
the sugar is incorporated, add the egg whites and orange zest. Process to make
a smooth dough, about 20 to 30 seconds.
Spread the pine nuts on a plate. Form the dough into 2-tablespoon-sized
balls by rolling in in between the palms of your hands, then roll the dough in
the pine nuts until coated, then place on baking sheets. Bake until lightly
golden and springy to the touch, about 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on baking
sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to cooling racks to cool
completely.
Enjoy and Buon Natale!
