Italian Biscotti

This is my bisnonna’s recipe for Italian biscotti. Biscotti are Italian biscuits that are usually eaten with coffee or tea. My grandmother uses this recipe every time I visit, and she uses walnuts in the biscotti. You can substitute chopped nuts or dried fruits for the walnuts, or you can just leave the biscotti plain.

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup chopped walnuts

3 eggs

¾ cups sugar

1 stick butter

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, cream butter, sugar and eggs
2. Add dry ingredients and mix well
3. Add vanilla and re-mix thoroughly
4. Remove from bowl and knead until smooth

5. Divide into four equal parts
6. Stretch each piece so that it becomes long and narrow (approximately 12’’x 2’’x 1’’)

7. Place two on a cookie sheet

Baking:

1. Preheat oven to 400º F
2. Bake for 20 minutes
3. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350º F
4. Cool for three minutes
5. Cut each strip on a bias one inch apart

6. Put back in oven to brown for three to four minutes
7. Remove and let cool
8. Enjoy!