Pistachio Almond Cantuccini alla Camerota

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 40 g butter or margarine
• 10 g organic lemon peel
• 70 g pistachios, shelled
• 50 g almonds, raw, not blanched
• 1 egg(s), size S
• 1 egg yolk, size S
• 2 tsp, leveled salt
• 150 g sugar, fine
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract, liquid
• 300 g wheat flour type 405
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp star anise, ground
• 30 g orange peel, dried, ground (orange flour)
• n. B. eggnog
• n. B. Flour for processing
• 1 egg white, size S
• 3 tbsp whole milk
• 2 tbsp eggnog
• 1 tbsp, levelled sugar, fine

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 25 minutes

A sweet, savory pastry recipe from Camerota, Campania, Italy.

All ingredients must be at room temperature. For the dough, roughly chop the almonds in a food processor (Moulinex or similar), pulsing twice. Whisk the egg and egg yolk with the salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk together with the sugar and vanilla extract until frothy. Add the pistachios and almonds and mix well into the foam. Replace the whisk with a dough hook. Mix the wheat flour with the baking powder, cardamom powder, ground star anise, and orange zest. Add the flour mixture a tablespoon at a time to the egg and nut mixture, stirring continuously, and knead into a crumbly dough. Stir in the butter or margarine. Finally, add just enough advocaat 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 1.5 hours. For the glaze, mix the egg whites with the water, egg liqueur and sugar to form a smooth glaze. 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 using both floured hands and roll out into a snake shape approximately 3 cm thick. Place on the baking tray and gently press down slightly. Brush all 5 strips twice with the glaze. Bake in a hot oven at medium heat until the cantuccini strips begin to brown. Remove from the oven and brush with glaze again. Bake for a further 6 minutes. Remove the cantuccini strips from the oven. While still warm, cut slightly diagonally into approximately 2 cm thick pieces. Place the cantuccini cut-side down on the baking sheet again and place them in the oven at the lowest setting with bottom heat only to lightly brown and/or dry. Repeat with the second cut side. While still warm, place them on a serving dish, garnish as desired, serve as finger food, and enjoy.