This is another traditional recipe from Calabria, Italy. The word Calabria comes from the Greek term meaning “Fertile land”. The region of Calabria was a part of Magna Grecia in ancient times. For this reason, its beautiful coastal cities are studded with impressive Greek ruins and temples. Almonds and oranges are two of the locally produced foods highlighted in this crunchy cookie. While preparing for an Italian cooking class, I changed the traditional recipe to accommodate people with wheat, dairy and egg allergies. This is the allergy- free version, but I have listed the traditional equivalents in parenthesis. The only major difference is that the allergy-free version crumbles easier, and therefore takes a longer time to bake the second time around.
Ingredients:
7 tablespoons canola oil (or unsalted butter, at room temperature)
3/4 cup natural sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 cups oatmeal flour, sifted ( or all-purpose flour, sifted)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole peeled blanched almonds, chopped
roughly
2 oranges, zested
7 tablespoons canola oil (or unsalted butter, at room temperature)
3/4 cup natural sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 cups oatmeal flour, sifted ( or all-purpose flour, sifted)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole peeled blanched almonds, chopped
roughly
2 oranges, zested
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream the canola oil or butter and sugar until well-blended. Add the orange juice, and mix until well blended. in another medium mixing bowl, combine all of the remaining. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Pour out onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, or a silpat. Form into a 4x12-inch log. Bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, or until the dough is firm. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. With a large, serrated knife, cut the log into 1-inch thick biscotti. The cookies should be cut with one strong motion of the knife. Do not rock the knife back and forth, or the cookies will crumble. Once the entire log has been cut into slices, remove the lining from the cookie sheet. Place the biscotti on their sides. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees. Bake the for another 25-30 minutes if using the allergy free recipe, or until golden and hard. If using the butter recipe, bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden and hard. Remove from the oven and cool. Stored in an air tight container, these cookies will last up to two weeks. Serve with espresso. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream the canola oil or butter and sugar until well-blended. Add the orange juice, and mix until well blended. in another medium mixing bowl, combine all of the remaining. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Pour out onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, or a silpat. Form into a 4x12-inch log. Bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, or until the dough is firm. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. With a large, serrated knife, cut the log into 1-inch thick biscotti. The cookies should be cut with one strong motion of the knife. Do not rock the knife back and forth, or the cookies will crumble. Once the entire log has been cut into slices, remove the lining from the cookie sheet. Place the biscotti on their sides. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees. Bake the for another 25-30 minutes if using the allergy free recipe, or until golden and hard. If using the butter recipe, bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden and hard. Remove from the oven and cool. Stored in an air tight container, these cookies will last up to two weeks. Serve with espresso.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream the canola oil or butter and sugar until well-blended. Add the orange juice, and mix until well blended. in another medium mixing bowl, combine all of the remaining. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Pour out onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, or a silpat. Form into a 4x12-inch log. Bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, or until the dough is firm. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. With a large, serrated knife, cut the log into 1-inch thick biscotti. The cookies should be cut with one strong motion of the knife. Do not rock the knife back and forth, or the cookies will crumble. Once the entire log has been cut into slices, remove the lining from the cookie sheet. Place the biscotti on their sides. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees. Bake the for another 25-30 minutes if using the allergy free recipe, or until golden and hard. If using the butter recipe, bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden and hard. Remove from the oven and cool. Stored in an air tight container, these cookies will last up to two weeks. Serve with espresso. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream the canola oil or butter and sugar until well-blended. Add the orange juice, and mix until well blended. in another medium mixing bowl, combine all of the remaining. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Pour out onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, or a silpat. Form into a 4x12-inch log. Bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, or until the dough is firm. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. With a large, serrated knife, cut the log into 1-inch thick biscotti. The cookies should be cut with one strong motion of the knife. Do not rock the knife back and forth, or the cookies will crumble. Once the entire log has been cut into slices, remove the lining from the cookie sheet. Place the biscotti on their sides. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees. Bake the for another 25-30 minutes if using the allergy free recipe, or until golden and hard. If using the butter recipe, bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden and hard. Remove from the oven and cool. Stored in an air tight container, these cookies will last up to two weeks. Serve with espresso.