Marie and Emil Mor's Pignoli
Quite possibly the MVP of the Italian bakery, pignoli are the nutty, soft, textured cookies found in any Italian cookie spread worth its salt. Named for their topping of a scattering of pine nuts, Sicilian pignoli — also referred to as amaretti con pignoli — involve almond flour or marzipan that creates a chewy, luscious center while a thin, crackly outer layer provides structure. This recipe hails from two late, former members and officers of the Garibaldina Society: Two-time president Emil Mor and his wife, secretary Marie Mor. Their cookies are simple to make and so delicious — and best enjoyed fresh, within one or two days of baking.
Pignoli
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Break the almond paste into small pieces and place in the work bowl of a food processor, add the sugar and pulse until fully combined. Whisk the egg whites in a medium bowl until frothy, add to the almond paste mixture and process until the mixture is uniform, about 1 minute.
Place the pine nuts in a wide shallow vessel such as a pie dish.
Drop 1 tablespoon of the cookie dough into the pine nuts and gently press to coat what will be the top of the cookie with the nuts. Place on the prepared baking sheet with the nut-coated side facing up. Repeat with remaining dough and nuts, spacing the cookies 1 ½ to 2 inches apart.
Bake until golden, about 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Allow to cool completely before removing the cookies from the parchment.
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