Italian Sugar Cookies & Walnut Tart

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Mary Barkley in Brazil for this one:

When my cousin was quite young, she took a peanut to her mother one day.
After my aunt had eaten it, my cousin asked, "Was that good, Mommy?" My
aunt replied, "Yes, why?" To which my cousin answered, "Skippy [the dog]
spit it out three times."

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            TODAY'S RECIPES
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"Ossi dei Morti" means "bones of the dead" and refers to their
long-lasting nature rather than their texture - they're actually quite chewy.

Italian Sugar Cookies (Ossi dei Morti)

3 eggs
2 cups (500 ml) powdered (confectioner's) sugar
2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla or almond extract
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground cinnamon (optional)

Beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy and very light in color. Add
the flour and baking powder gradually while the beater runs slowly,
followed by the vanilla and optional cinnamon. Add a little more
flour if the dough is sticky. Roll the dough on a lightly floured
surface to form logs about 1/2-inch (1 cm) in diameter. Cut into
2-inch (5 cm) lengths and place on greased cookie sheets. Bake
in a preheated 350F (180C) oven until lightly browned, 10 to 12
minutes. Cool on wire racks before serving. Makes about 2 dozen.

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One of the nice things about walnuts, especially if you're a food
writer with readers all over the world, is that they're available to
just about everyone, just about everywhere, at just about any time of year.

Walnut Tart

A 9-inch pastry pie crust, store-bought or from your favorite recipe
1 1/2 cup (375 ml) sugar
1 Tbs (15 ml) water
8 Tbs (1 stick, 110 g) butter
1/2 cup (125 ml) heavy cream
1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
2 cups (500 ml) coarsely chopped walnuts

Place a piece of wax paper or buttered aluminum foil over the pastry and
fill with dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Bake in a preheated 350F
(180C) oven for 12 minutes, remove the wax paper and weights, and
continue baking until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a
wire rack. Place the sugar and water in a deep saucepan and cook over
moderate heat, shaking occasionally, until the sugar turns a light
golden brown, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat to low and carefully add
the butter and cream - they will bubble up so be sure to use a pot big
enough to allow for this. Cook, stirring constantly, until the butter is
melted and the mixture is smooth and uniform. Stir in the honey and
walnuts, cool for a few minutes, and spread into the baked crust.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Serves 6 to 8.
Received on Wed May 30 08:06:09 2007