This is the first time I deal with publishers (though probably not the last as I am also writing a book on politics in Spain). I have 'devoured' books over the years but it is only after this experience that I realise how much work goes behind each one of them - I am truly humbled by all the efforts Hooder is putting into the book.
This is a recipe for biscotti from Italy, to be enjoyed with a cup of strong coffee and a nice book (the one in the picture is 'Ex Libris' from Anne Fadiman, a truly delicious book)
For the recipe you need:
Preheat the oven at 175 degrees
- 3 eggs
- 275 gr sugar
- 285 gr plain flour
- a teaspoon of baking powder
- a couple of handfuls of pistachios and another couple of handfuls of almonds (you can replace this by whatever you want: any other nuts - hazelnuts being particularly good - raising, cherries, chocolate chips, zest of orange or lemon, aniseeds…)
Mix the eggs and sugar until they double their volume. Add the flower and baking powder and mix well. Make 6 cylinder rolls (wet your hands first or you will end up with dough everywhere). Put the rolls on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, flatten a bit the rolls and bake for 20 minutes. Then take them rolls out, lower the oven temperature to 150 degrees, wait for 10 minutes and cut each roll diagonally into the biscotti. Put the biscotti back on the tray and bake for another 8-10 minutes.
This is a really simple recipe for children. Make sure the wet their hands well before touching the dough as it is really sticky. They also like cutting the biscotti as the nuts (which are warm by that point) cut into two really nicely and they make pretty patterns. One of my children does not like nuts, so we did not put many on them. In any case, as you may have guessed, they all prefer to make the biscotti with chocolate chips (and orange peel) rather than nuts.
