Ellie Buhadana visited Sunrise to teach us how to make the perfect pistachio and almond amaretti.
In her debut cookbook, Ellie shares recipes she learned during her travels in Italy as well as recipes that have been passed down through generations.
Recipe books, diaries, Ellie’s Table is an extension of Ellie’s food beliefs and contains all of her hearty recipes.
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The recipe is below:
Pistachio and almond amaretti biscuits
These amaretti are ideal to eat as a dessert, but are also delicious with your morning coffee.
The texture of the biscuits should be somewhere between chewy and crispy, so make sure to beat the egg whites until they resemble a meringue before combining with the nut and sugar mixture.
30 biscuits
material
3 egg whites (approximately 80g total weight)
400 g (14 oz) granulated sugar (superfine)
250 g (9 oz) unsalted pistachio nuts
230 g (8 oz) almond flour
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds removed
coating
100 g (3½ oz) superfine granulated sugar
100 g (3½ oz) confectionery sugar
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Make the dough
Using an electric mixer or electric beaters, beat the egg whites until fluffy, then slowly add half the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.
In a food processor, grind the pistachios until they have a texture similar to breadcrumbs but a little coarser than almond flour.
Combine pistachios, almond flour, remaining sugar, and vanilla seeds in a large bowl. Add half of the beaten egg whites to the combined mixture and mix with your hands to form a soft, sticky dough. Add the remaining egg white mixture and mix with your hands.
Roll the biscuits to coat
Scoop out a chunk of dough weighing about 30g (1 oz) and gently roll it in your hands to form a walnut-sized ball.
Lightly dust the balls with granulated sugar, then generously dust with icing sugar and place on a baking tray. Repeat until all the dough is used up.
Bake and serve
Bake for approximately 15-18 minutes. The biscuits should be golden on the bottom and cracked on the top. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. They may be soft in the centre when first removed from the oven but will crisp up quickly as they cool.
Notes: Amaretti can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks and served with coffee or as a decadent dessert with vermouth-stewed cherries and mascarpone (page 213).
Notes: The texture of your amaretti may vary each time you make them, but don’t worry: it’s affected by the oil content of the nuts, the moisture content of the egg whites, and the temperature of your kitchen, all of which will vary each time you make them.
