Pistachio Almond Cantucci alla Carmen Camerota

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 40 g pistachios, shelled
• 80 g almonds
• 20 g organic lemon peel
• 60 g candied orange peel
• 60 g butter or margarine
• 2 eggs, size S
• 1 tsp chicken broth powder
• 165 g sugar, fine
• 2 tbsp sugar (ginger sugar)
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract, liquid
• 350 g wheat flour type 405
• 2 tsp, leveled baking powder
• 2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp anise powder
• 2 tbsp star anise, ground
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp, leveled clove powder
• n. B. eggnog
• n. B. Flour for the work surface and hands
• 1 egg(s), size M
• 3 tbsp whole milk
• 1 tbsp eggnog
• 1 tbsp sugar, fine

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours

A sweet, spicy and nutty pastry from Camerota, Campania, Italy.

All ingredients must be at room temperature. Place the pistachios and almonds in a food processor and pulse briefly three times. Wash the lemon, dry it thoroughly, and grate the required amount of yellow peel. Cut the candied orange peel into small cubes. Melt the margarine or butter in a double boiler (do not heat above 45 degrees Celsius!). Crack the eggs and whisk them into the chicken stock in a mixing bowl. Whisk together with the sugar, ginger sugar, and vanilla extract until frothy. Replace the whisk with a dough hook. Add the pistachios, almonds, lemon zest, and candied orange peel and mix well into the foam. Combine the wheat flour with the baking powder, cardamom powder, anise powder, star anise powder, cinnamon powder, and clove powder. Add the flour mixture tablespoon by tablespoon to the egg and nut mixture, stirring continuously, and knead into a crumbly dough. Stir in the butter or margarine. Finally, depending on the flour’s ability to swell, add flour or enough egg liqueur a tablespoon at a time and knead until you have a dough that is easy to knead (test with your finger while the machine is turned off) that doesn’t stick to the mixing bowl. Place the dough in a plastic tube and let it rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Mix the egg with the whole milk, the egg liqueur and the sugar until smooth and glazed. Preheat the oven to 180°C (top/bottom heat). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Divide the dough into 5 equal portions. Sprinkle the work surface with a little flour. Shape each portion into a log with both floured hands. Press the outer pistachios or almonds into the dough. Then roll out into a snake about 4-5 cm thick. Place on the baking tray and gently flatten slightly. Brush all 5 strips twice thinly with the glaze. Bake in a hot oven at medium heat until the cantucci strips begin to brown. Remove from the oven and brush again with a shine agent. Turn off the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes. Remove the cantucci strips from the oven. While still warm, cut slightly diagonally into approximately 2 cm thick pieces. Place on a serving dish while still warm, garnish as desired, and serve as finger food and enjoy. Note: Carmen Camerota cantucci cannot be stored indefinitely due to the moisture remaining inside. For cantucci that are not to be eaten immediately, both cut sides of the cantucci should be baked in a pan without oil until light brown and then eaten warm. The alcohol in the eggnog evaporates completely, and at baking temperature, all of its molecules are released into the fresh air. These exotic pistachio and almond cantucci are therefore also suitable for children who have already lost their baby teeth.