Mom's Biscotti

By miss5elements

"My mom IS Betty Crocker, so that's where I learned my baking skills," Andrew Carmellini, chef at NYC hot spots Locana Verde & The Dutch says jokingly. Like his mother, Victoria, Carmellini adds a splash of sambuca to spice up these crunchy cookies dotted with pistachios. "I've always been inspired by what mothers and grandmothers cook. It's history through food," he says.

Ingredients

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

Preparation

Step 1

1. Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, mix 2 eggs & sugar at med speed for 5-10 min, 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 350F.
6. Line a baking sheet w/parchment paper.
7. Form the dough into 2 logs (9"x1.5" each), and place them 3" apart on the lined sheet.
8. Whisk the remaining egg in a small bowl; lightly brush logs w/the egg wash.
9. Bake for 15 min, rotate tray, and bake for another 10-15 min until golden brown.
10. Remove & let it cool for 5 min.
11. Lower oven temp to 325F.
12. On a cutting board, use a serrated knife to cut logs at a slight diagonal into 1/4" slices.
13. Place biscotti on the baking sheet in a single layer & bake for 15 min, or until crunchy.
14. Cool before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.