I understand what DaVinci saw in the quiet, tranquility of Tuscany. Any time I need a break from my hectic life, I sit down and watch a snippet of a drive through the mountains of Chianti, and I can relax for a few brief seconds. Better than any drug,it is Tuscany. Try this:
Driving through Chianti
The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style is officially being released at the Utah Humanities Festival this weekend and Suburban Home Show in Phladelphia on October 21-23 and Philly Gourmet Food Show on October 23.
You can find the book on Amazon.com and Kindle but here’s a recipe to go with that Tuscan snippet
Cantucci Biscotti
(excerpted from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style; copyright 2011 Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc)
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup whole almonds
4 whole eggs beaten
1 tsp of grated orange peel
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place whole, unpeeled almonds on cookie sheet, place in oven and toast for 3 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and chop in large pieces.
Sift flour into a bowl. Place inside sugar, eggs, baking powder, orange peel, pinch of salt. Blend well till dough is smooth, but not too soft., then add in almonds and blend in.
Cover cookie sheet with baking paper. Form dough into a long roll, the form of a long finger. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and cut diagonally to form biscotti. Cover cookie sheet with baking paper, place single biscotti on baking paper and bake for approx 25 minutes or until crispy and golden. Remove.
