FOR THE SPONGE
1 package active dry yeast, 2 1/2 tsp warm water
3/4 cup flour, all purpose,unbleached
FOR THE DOUGH
1/2 cup sugar water & water
1/4 cup butter, unsalted, 1/2 stick cut i
2 1/2 cup flour, all purpose,unbleached
1 tbsp aniseed salt
Directions
Make the sponge: In the bowl of an electric mixer proof the yeast in
the water for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is foamy. Whisk in the
flour and let the sponge stand, covered with plastic wrap, for 30
minutes or until it is foamy.
To the sponge, add the sugar, the water and the butter and stir the
mixture until it is combined well. Add the flour, the aniseed, and
the salt and with the electric mixer fitted with the dough hook knead
the dough for 3 minutes, or until it is smooth but still sticky.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning it to coat it
with the oil, and let it rise, covered tightly with plastic wrap, for
1 1/2 hours, or until it is double in bulk.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, halve it, and
with floured hands form each piece of dough into a flattish log 15
inches long and 2 inches wide. Transfer the logs to a buttered and
floured baking sheet and let them rise, covered with a kitchen towel,
for 2 hours, or until they are double in bulk.
Bake the logs in the middle of a preheated 350F oven for 30
minutes, or until they are golden brown, and let them cool on the
baking sheet on a rack for 10 minutes. On a cutting board cut the
logs crosswise on the diagonal into 1 inch thick slices, arrange the
biscotti, cut sides down, on the baking sheet and bake them in the
350F oven for 10 minutes on each side, or until they are pale golden.
Transfer the biscotti to racks to cool and store them in airtight
containers. MAKES:ABOUT 30 BISCOTTI
Servings: 1 servings
Biscotti Del Laggaccio (Aniseed Biscotti) Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Biscotti; Cookie; Italian; Pasta
The History of Recipes
We can follow the history of `recipes` way back into the distant past, certainly as far back as ancient Egypt, and maybe even further. Having said that, generally, these old records were just simple hieroglyphic instructions for food preparation.
In fact, the oldest recipe discovered, according to experts in ancient history is a series of ancient tablets in the Sumerian language describing the making of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as making drinkers feel wonderful and blissful. Later, there are a couple of interesting recipe books which date from the 1300s ; a book called `Forme of Cury`, and another named `Curye on Inglish`. Perhaps surprisingly, these are not about the spicy food that appears on menues today, but rather accounts of the types of food on the tables of the upper classes of the time. For the centuries that followed, the powerful families of the West competed with each other to lay on the most exotic meals, and consequentially chefs and their recipe collections increased in prestige. Nevertheless, it wasn`t until the nineteenth century that cooking and recipe publications rose to prominence. Mrs Isabella Beeton in the UK, and the equally well-known Fannie Merritt Farmer in the USA, spent years to assembling, verifying, and publishing recipes of the day. By the time we get to the 20th century, recipe books are in high demand, mostly due to better eduction, leisure time and a general increase in wealth. The introduction of the TV brought us cooking programs and the recipe books that accompanied them. Which pretty much brings us to the present day and the invention of computers and the internet, permitting everybody to access thousands of recipes like those on the site you are now reading. |
We hope you enjoy this Biscotti Del Laggaccio (Aniseed Biscotti) recipe.
