Growing up my mom had a friend with four little children, who were all around the ages of my youngest sibling. Growing up I used to babysit those tikes who had such imaginations. They lived in this old house with such character that they all embraces, filled with weird closets, funny places for doors, lots of rooms, and lots of love. I remember they used to put on plays, read books, and always had a project or two going on.
Beth, the mother, would make coffee with a french press or a one cup dripper exclusively and always had something just baked right out of the oven when someone arrived. What I remember though most about this family however is the comment my mom made to me one time about how Beth would even make her own Biscotti. At the time, it made me think biscotti was an elusively hard thing to make, so I never thought to, until yesterday.
I would like to say that it was a rainy cold day and we just sat inside lazying the day away, but that would be a lie, because it was a ripe 'ol 90 degrees, and we were far too hot and tired to try and make anything of our day. I was reading through cookbooks when I came across Alice Waters recipe for biscotti, and as I read it, I became determined to make it. And so there it was, one hour later, with ease.
Pistachio and Cherry Biscotti.
base recipe adapted from The Art of Cooking by Alice Waters
In a bowl, combine flour and baking soda. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs and sugar until the mixture forms a ribbon (you will be able to lift it out of the bowl a few inches with the beater). Gently stir in flour mixture until just incorporated and then gently fold in pistachios and cherries. On a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, form the dough into two 3-inch wide loaves. Smooth with wet hands, then cook at 350 for 25 minutes. Lower oven to 300, let loaves cool for 10 minutes, then cut them into 1/2-inch thick cookies. Bake cookies on each side for 10-12 minutes until beginning to brown.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup toasted & coarsely chopped pistachios
3/4 cup toasted & coarsely chopped pistachios
3/4 cup chopped dried cherries
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp lime zest
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp lime zest
In a bowl, combine flour and baking soda. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs and sugar until the mixture forms a ribbon (you will be able to lift it out of the bowl a few inches with the beater). Gently stir in flour mixture until just incorporated and then gently fold in pistachios and cherries. On a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, form the dough into two 3-inch wide loaves. Smooth with wet hands, then cook at 350 for 25 minutes. Lower oven to 300, let loaves cool for 10 minutes, then cut them into 1/2-inch thick cookies. Bake cookies on each side for 10-12 minutes until beginning to brown.
