Monday, May 29, 2017

Classic Esse "S" Italian Breakfast Cookie

This is one of the most classic and popular cookies one will find in any bar/cafe in Italy.




(Updating this today, 2025.)
New Notes: 82% - 85% butter fat for butter is best.  Since powdered sugar in the USA has cornstarch, strongly suggest buy a small spice mill where you can blitz your organic florida crystals into powdered sugar just before using in the recipe. I make up to 300 gms of my own powdered sugar, store in glass with a terracotta disk, dried in the oven to absorb any moisture.  OMIT the cornstarch listed in recipe. It is not necessary even if you make your own powdered sugar. I find these cookies are better without it.  All purpose flour is better in this than pastry flour.  When dipping in chocolate, cool completely and use Ghirardelli's chocolate disks made specially for this purpose.  All other brands out there in the USA just don't cut it.   Also, add a nice pinch of fine salt.  If you can, blitz your own Baja Gold or Colima or Celtic salt.   I find weighing each ball around 20gm ea is the perfect size.  I roll each one, then press them down with creative things of weight I find. 

Some may be dipped in chocolate while others look a bit more like almond macaroons but this one here is the classic. It is wonderful dipped in a cappuccino or caffe latte.

400F Oven

320 gm unsalted softened butter. If you can find European butter that would be best. You can also use Ghee. 
180 gm Powdered Sugar

Cream together until smooth. 



Add:
4 egg yolks and mix until blended.




Add:
500 gm pastry flour (Farina 00), which can be found at Whole Foods, Winco bulk, and other specialty markets.
30 gm Corn Starch

mix dry ingredients together.  There is no need to sift if you weigh your flour. 

Blend flour into the mixture and mix until you have a nice ball of dough.




These bake best without parchment paper.  If you need to, grease your pans with spray olive oil.

Make meatball size or large melon ball size balls and place about 2 inches apart.

Flatten with a fork unless you use a pastry bag to make the "S" shape.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. These should have slightly browned edges.

Cool and transfer to wire racks for complete cooling.  Store in wax paper lined tin.     

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Amazing Cauliflower Toast Hors d'oeuvres!

It could not be easier and for those who truly appreciate anchovies and anchovy butter toasts, this is a wonderful antipasto.


Preheat oven to 375 F

Baguettes
Pour 2-3 lugs or spoons of olive oil and 2 large cloves of garlic peeled into a medium casserole.

Cut the cauliflower, any size head is fine, into small pieces.  Place in a casserole and toss with oil and garlic, add salt and pepper to taste. 

Roast in oven for 20 min.  10 minutes into the roasting time, remove and stir the mixture and return to oven.

While this is cooking, slice the bread into 1/4 inch thick slices and arrange in one layer on a cookie sheet and place in oven to roast and dry out a little. Turn them if necessary.

Remove the cauliflower from oven and place in a ceramic mixing bowl or a mini chop or blender and puree everything together until you have a nice creamy mixture. 

Depending on how many people to serve you will need two or more flat cans of anchovies.  Best are by Cento or the ones in glass jars from Spain or Italy. 

Spoon a good amount of the cream onto the bread rounds, spread and place two quarter inch pieces of anchovy on top. Arrange on platter, decorate and serve.