FOR THE SPONGE
1 package active dry yeast, 2 1/2 tsp warm water
3/4 cup flour, all purpose,
1 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,
1 unbleached
1 tbsp aniseed salt
Directions
"Did Columbus and his crews sail to the new world eating these
traditional Ligurian biscotti? It's entirely possible, although
theirs would have been cooked much longer to drive off all the
moisture, allowing them to keep for an entire ocean crossing. Though
these biscotti are made with an enriched bread dough instead of the
traditional cookie dough and have a somewhat softer texture, they
keep well when stored in an airtight container."
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
SOURCE: Gourmet magazine, December 1992
Servings: 1 servings
Biscotti Del Laggaccio Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Biscotti; Cookie; Italian; Pasta
The History of Recipes
Experts have tracked the existence of recipes back into the distant past, in fact as far back as ancient Egypt, and quite possibly further than that. Interesting though that is, generally, these old recipes were just primitive pictorial recipes for preparing meals.
Fascinatingly, the most ancient recipe found, according to academics are some tablets in ancient Sumerian which recount the making of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as making anyone who drank it feel `blissful`. As we move into The time of the roman empire 25BC a man called Apicius assembled some documents showing how to cook the recipes cooked by the Romans. In his scrolls, he tells us how the meals of wealthy Romans were split into appetizers, main meal and dessert, a style of dining still practiced today. Additionally, he describes how the ancient chefs were skilled in the use of a wide range of spices and herbs, including some that we all recognise for example thyme, rue and asafoetida. As our culinary historical trip moves to more modern times there are some interesting books which date from the fourteenth century - a cookery book titled `Forme of Cury`, and another, similary entitled `Curye on Inglish`. Despite their titles, these two books have no connection with the curry that is popular today, but rather accounts of the types of meals on the menues of the rich and powerful of those days. In the 15th century, the Crusaders brought back a variety of spices and herbs from the Middle-East, including coriander, parsley, and rosemary. The introduction of these new culinary ideas created an explosion in manuscripts on food, many of which still exist in private cookery archives. The introduction of television brought us TV chefs and the recipe books that accompanied them. Which pretty much brings us up to date and the internet revolution, permitting us all to access massive numbers of recipes just like those on this site. |
We hope you enjoy this Biscotti Del Laggaccio recipe.
