Amaretti con Pignoli

By mutzali

Ingredients

• Butter, softened for the pans, if using
• 1 pound canned almond paste
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups pine nuts

Preparation

Step 1

Arrange one rack in the upper third of the oven and the other in the lower third. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Crumble the almond paste into a mixing bowl. Beat with a handheld electric mixer till finely crumbled. Sprinkle the sugar over the almond paste and continue to beat until the sugar is incorporated. Beat in the egg whites, one at a time and continue beating until the dough is smooth.

Spread the pine nuts out on a plate. Roll one tablespoon of the dough into a ball between your palms.
Drop the dough ball onto the plate of pine nuts. When you have formed several dough balls, roll them in the pine nuts to coat lightly on all sides. Transfer them to the prepared pans and press them lightly to flatten them slightly and help the pine nuts adhere to the cookies. Repeat with the remaining batter and pine nuts.

Bake the cookies until lightly browned and soft and springy, about 15 minutes.

Remove and cool completely on wire racks before serving. The cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to a week.