Ugly but Good Cookies (Brutti ma Buoni)

Ingredients

• 3 cup Hazelnuts (Toasted and roughly crushed; almonds may traditionally be used as an alternative.)
• 1 cup Granulated sugar
• 3 Egg whites (About 90 g total, preferably at room temperature.)
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 0.25 tsp Fine sea salt

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spread the hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until fragrant and lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool, then rub off loose skins and roughly crush the nuts; do not grind them into a fine meal.

2. 2

   Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. 3

   In a large clean bowl, use an electric mixer to whip the egg whites and salt until foamy. Gradually add the sugar while beating, then continue until the whites are glossy and hold stiff peaks.

4. 4

   Beat in the vanilla extract. Use a spatula to fold in the crushed toasted hazelnuts, taking care not to deflate the meringue more than necessary. The mixture should be thick, dense, and heavily studded with nuts.

5. 5

   Drop roughly 2-tablespoon portions of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between them. Shape them into irregular mounds; their rustic appearance is part of the character of brutti ma buoni.

6. 6

   Bake until the cookies are dry and lightly browned on the outside, about 35 to 40 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking for even cooking.

7. 7

   Turn off the oven and leave the cookies inside to cool gradually and dry further, about 10 minutes. Transfer them to a rack and cool completely before serving or storing.

Notes

The source states that the cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. The ingredient quantities and method were reconstructed because the accessible page excerpt was paywalled and did not display the recipe.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• cookies
• baked
• Italian
• Tuscan
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• make-ahead