Made with Love: Bake Up These Pistachio Biscotti Cookies for Mom

By GadgetGirl

Chef Andrew Carmellini knows a thing or two about culinary heirlooms. His mother, Victoria, passed down many delicious recipes to him. “My mom is Betty Crocker, so that’s where I learned my baking skills,” the chef at N.Y.C. hot spots Locanda Verde and The Dutch says jokingly.
For our May issue and in honor of Mother’s Day, Carmellini shared one of his favorites with us: his mom’s biscotti recipe. “I’ve always been inspired by what mothers and grandmothers cook,” the chef says. “It’s history through food.” Like matriarch Victoria, chef Andrew adds a splash of sambuca to spice up these crunchy, pistachio-dotted cookies.

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs, divided
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tbsp butter, melted
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 3/4 cup shelled pistachios, whole
• 1 tbsp anise seeds (or crushed fennel seeds)
• 1 tbsp sambuca (try Romana Sambuca, $32; astorwines.com)

Details

Servings 40
Preparation time 40mins
Cooking time 95mins
Adapted from instyle.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, mix 2 eggs and sugar at medium speed for 5–10 minutes, until pale, foamy, and double in volume. Pour in melted butter, and mix.
2. Add flour, baking powder, and zest. Switch to the paddle attachment, and mix at a low speed until combined.
3. Add pistachios, anise seeds, and sambuca. Mix for 30 seconds to combine.
4. Refrigerate dough in a covered bowl for 20 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Form the dough into two logs (9″ x 1½” each), and place them 3 inches apart on the lined sheet.
8. Whisk the remaining egg in a small bowl; lightly brush logs with the egg wash.
9. Bake for 15 minutes, rotate tray, and bake for another 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown.
10. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes.
11. Lower oven temperature to 325°F.
12. On a cutting board, use a serrated knife to cut logs at a slight diagonal into ¼” slices. Discard the ends.
13. Place biscotti on the baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 15 minutes, or until crunchy.
14. Cool before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.