Chef Lidia Bastianich: Easy Italian Christmas Cookie Recipes

Chef Lidia Bastianich shares Italian holiday cookies from her childhood.

From Denny: Chef and restaurateur, Lidia Bastianich, shares some of her favorite childhood holiday treats. These traditional Italian sweets are a big hit come holiday season, suitable for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Lidia's fun recipes are Fried Ribbon Cookies where you make up a sweet dough in the food processor, roll it out, slice into strips, tie into festive ribbons and drop to deep fry in hot oil, then dust with tasty powdered sugar.

Pine nut cookies are another traditional Italian sweet well loved during the holiday season. Both recipes come from her latest cookbook that is also her first children's book of kid friendly easy recipes: “Nonna Tell Me a Story.”

This video is cute because she has her granddaughter on the set rolling out the cookie dough and tying it into ribbons. Chef Lidia fries the cookies and it's one of those warm memories the granddaughter will have when she grows up of she and her grandmother making Christmas cookies together.

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Fried Ribbon Cookies (crostoli)

From: Chef Lidia Bastianich, "Nonna Tell Me a Story"

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) very soft unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Finely grated zest of a lemon, about 2 teaspoons
Finely grated zest of an orange, about 2 tablespoons
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling the dough
6 to 8 cups vegetable oil for frying, or as needed
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, or as needed

Directions:

1. Blend butter, sugar, and salt in the food processor. Add milk, egg and yolk, citrus juices and citrus zests and process everything together until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, dump in all of the flour, and process in pulses until the dough comes together. Clean the bowl again and pulse a few more times to mix thoroughly.

2. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly into a soft smooth ball. If it is sticky, knead in more flour in small amounts. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (You can keep it refrigerated up to 1 day but let it return to room temperature before rolling.)

3. Cut the chilled dough in half and work with one piece at a time. Flatten the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll it out to a rough square shape, approximately 16 inches on a side. Trim the edges of the square and with a fluted cutter, divide it into 10 strips, about 1½ inches wide. Cut across all the strips in the middle to form 20 ribbons, each about 7 inches long (though they shrink after you cut them). One at a time, tie each ribbon into a simple overhand knot. (When tying the crostoli, leave the knot very loose so there will be a gap for tying a ribbon for hanging once they are fried.) If necessary, stretch the ends gently so they’re long enough to knot. Place the knotted crostoli on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper, leaving room between them so they don’t stick to each other. Roll out the second piece of dough; cut and tie the same way.

4. Meanwhile, pour vegetable oil in the pan to a depth of 2 inches. Set over medium heat to gradually reach frying temperature. When you’re ready to start frying, raise the heat and test the oil by dropping in a scrap piece of dough: the fat should bubble actively around the dough, but it shouldn’t get dark quickly. (If you have a frying thermometer, heat the oil to 350° F. And be sure to use long-handled tools, hot pads, and caution when deep frying.)

5. Using long-handled tongs, quickly drop the first batch of crostoli into the fryer — raise the heat to return the oil to the frying temperature. Don’t crowd the cookies — fry only 10 or 12 at a time in a 10-inch diameter pan. The cookies will first drop to the bottom but will soon float to the surface. Turn them frequently with tongs and a spider or slotted spoon, to cook evenly.

6. Fry the crostoli for 4 minutes or so, as they color gradually to dark gold. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain the oil temperature and prevent rapid browning. When crisp and golden all over, lift them from the oil with a spider or spoon, drain off the oil, then lay them on layers of paper towels to cool. Fry the remaining crostoli in batches the same way. Store in a sealed cookie tin or plastic container and keep them dry. To serve, pile the crostoli on a serving plate in a heaping mound. Put the confectioners’ sugar in a small mesh sieve and dust generously over the cookies.





Pine Nut Cookies (Amaretti con pignoli)

From: Chef Lidia Bastianich, "Nonna Tell Me a Story"

Ingredients:

1 pound canned almond paste
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large egg whites
1 cup pine nuts (optional)
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, or as needed (optional)

Directions:

1. Arrange one rack in the upper third of the oven and the other in the lower third. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Crumble the almond paste into a mixing bowl. Beat with a handheld electric mixer until finely crumbled. Sprinkle the sugar over the almond paste and continue to beat until the sugar is incorporated. Beat in the egg whites, one at a time and continue beating until the batter is smooth.

3. If using the pine nuts, spread them out on a plate. Pinch off a tablespoon-size piece of dough and roll between your palms to form a ball. Roll the ball in pine nuts or just place it on the baking sheet if you want plain cookies. Repeat with the remaining dough.

4. Bake the cookies until lightly browned and soft and springy, about 20 minutes. Remove and cool completely on wire racks before serving. The cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week and are delicious with or without pine nuts.
Tips

The plain cookies can also be dusted with confectioners’ sugar before serving.


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Chef Thomas Keller: Thanksgiving Brunch Recipes

Check out one of best chefs in America and a wonderful brunch menu for the holidays.

From Denny: Did you know that Chef Thomas Keller is considered one of the very best American-born chefs? He is executive chef of the restaurant French Laundry in the Napa Valley of California. His other restaurant is Per Se in Manhattan (New York City). This is his version of a delightful brunch you can impress your family and friends with over the holidays.

Chef Keller has boxed up two of his best-selling cookbooks - "Ad Hoc At Home" and "The French Laundry" into a holiday gift set this season called "The Essential Thomas Keller." These recipes featured here for the brunch are from "Ad Hoc At Home."

Check out the menu pdf file from French Laundry. It will have you hungry in no time - and wishing you lived in California! :)

Check out the menu pdf file from Per Se in Manhattan too. Can you tell I love reading menus? :)


Recipes Featured:

Poached Eggs
Buttermilk Biscuits
Scallion Potato Cakes
Zinfandel Jam


Poached  Eggs

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
6 large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

To poach the eggs, bring 6 to 8 inches of water to a boil in a large deep saucepan. Prepare an ice bath. Add the vinegar to the boiling water and reduce the heat to a simmer. Crack 1 egg into a small cup or ramekin.

Using a wooden spoon, stir the water at the edges of the pan twice in a circular motion to get the water moving, then add the egg to the center of the pan and simmer gently for 1 1/2 minutes, or until the white is set but the yolk is still runny.

With a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the egg to the ice bath. Skim and discard any foam that has risen to the top of the water, and cook the remaining eggs one at a time.

Note: The eggs can be poached several hours ahead and stored in ice water in the refrigerator. Place in warm water before serving.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a simmer. With a small pair of scissors, trim any uneven edges from the poached eggs. Lower the eggs into the simmering water for about 30 seconds, just to reheat. Remove the eggs with a skimmer or slotted spoon and blot the bottoms with paper towels. Season the eggs with salt and pepper and serve.





Buttermilk Biscuits

Makes: 12 BISCUITS 

Ingredients:

2 cups cake flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled
11/2 cups buttermilk, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons for brushing
2 to 3 tablespoons (1 to 1 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

These biscuits bake up light and fluffy. It's important not to overwork the dough, which would make the biscuits tough. To that end, we pulse the butter and dry ingredients together in a food processor, then turn them out into a bowl and gradually work in the liquids by hand.

You can serve them with some good butter and raspberry jam, and perhaps a sprinkle of fleur de sel, but they're so good you might want to eat them as is, straight out of the oven. We serve these with fried chicken, but they make a good brunch accompaniment and also work as a strawberry shortcake biscuit for dessert.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the flours, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to blend. Add the chilled butter and pulse several times, until the pieces of butter are no bigger than small peas. Do not over process; the dough should not come together.

Transfer the dough to a large bowl and make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the buttermilk. Stir and lift the mixture with a sturdy spoon, gently working the flour into the buttermilk. The dough should begin to come together but not form a solid mass, or the biscuits may be tough.

Dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Pat the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out the biscuits. (If the cutter sticks to the dough, dip the cutter in flour before cutting.) Place the biscuits on the baking sheet. The dough trimmings can be gently pushed together, patted out, and cut one more time; do not overwork the dough.

Brush the tops of the biscuits lightly with buttermilk. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until a rich golden brown. As soon as you remove the biscuits from the oven, brush the tops with melted butter. Serve warm.







Plum Zinfandel Jam

Makes: 1 1/2 CUPS

Ingredients:

2 pounds Santa Rosa plums
1 cup Zinfandel
3/4 cup granulated sugar, or to taste

Directions:

Cut the flesh of the plums away from the pits and cut into 3/4-inch pieces. Combine the plums, wine, and sugar in a large saucepan and attach a candy thermometer to the pan.

Bring to a simmer over medium- high heat, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, skimming off any foam that rises to the top, until the jam reaches 215° to 220°F. Remove from the heat.

Taste the jam and add additional sugar as needed, stirring to dissolve it. Spoon into a canning jar or other storage container, cover, and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for up to 1 month.


*Note on Plate Testing: To check that compotes, jams, and jellies are at the right consistency, put a tablespoon of what you're cooking on a plate and chill it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. If it is too thin, return to the heat, cook a few more minutes, and retest.





Scallion Potato Cakes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

5 scallions
3 pounds large russet potatoes
1/2 cup cornstarch
Canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

While potato pancakes can be made by grating potatoes straight into the pan, we grate and rinse them, squeeze them dry, and toss them with cornstarch. The cornstarch prevents the potatoes from discoloring and helps to bind the cakes (they don't contain any eggs) and make them crisp.

These can be served with duck or with corned beef, and topped with a poached egg. You could make smaller individual cakes to serve as an appetizer with smoked salmon and Horseradish Cream (page 57) or Slow-Cooker Apple Butter (page 249) and sour cream.

These are best eaten immediately, but you can keep the first and second batches warm in the oven while you cook the final one.

Preheat the oven to 200°F. Set a cooling rack on a baking sheet. Cut away the ends of the scallions on a severe diagonal and discard, then cut the dark greens into very thin slices. (Reserve the remaining scallions for another use.) Set aside.

Set up a food processor with the coarse shredding blade. Peel the potatoes and shred them. Immediately transfer them to a large bowl of cold water and swirl and rinse the potatoes. Lift them from the water and dry in a salad spinner. Transfer to another large bowl. Spoon the cornstarch around the sides of the bowl and toss the potatoes with it (adding the cornstarch this way will help to coat the potatoes evenly). Do not let the potatoes sit for too long, or they will release their starch and the centers of the potatoes can become sticky.

Heat some canola oil in a 10-inch nonstick frying pan over medium- high heat until the oil is shimmering. Turn down the heat to medium. Add one-sixth of the potatoes, gently spreading them into an 8- to 9-inch circle.

Keep the potato cake light and airy; do not press down on the potatoes. Season with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup of the scallion greens for garnish, and sprinkle one- third of the remaining scallion greens over the potatoes. Carefully spread another one-sixth of the potatoes on top; again, do not press down on them. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, to brown the bottom. You should hear the potatoes sizzling in the oil; if the potatoes get quiet and are not sizzling, or the pan looks dry, add a bit more oil. Turn the pancake over to brown the second side.

The pancakes are somewhat fragile and can be difficult to flip with a spatula; if you don't feel comfortable turning them, invert the pancake onto the back of a baking sheet, held tilted over a second baking sheet, as some oil may seep out, then return the pan to the heat and slide the potato cake into the pan browned side up. Cook until the second side is browned and crisp, then transfer to the rack and keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining 2 pancakes.

Cut each pancake into 4 wedges, stack on a platter, and garnish with the reserved scallion greens.


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