Ingredients
- 1/4 cup candied lemon peel
- 1 cup butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup egg yolk
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup polenta
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup pistachios
Preparation
Baking Directions:
Heat the oven to 350°F.
Line two baking sheets with parchment.
Cover the lemon peel with boiling water in a small bowl.
Let it stand 5 minutes, then drain and pat the lemon peel dry with a paper towel.
Set aside.
(This process removes excess sugar.)
Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolk, flour, polenta, and salt, and mix until the mixture forms a soft mass.
(Alternatively, place the aforementioned ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the mixture forms a soft mass.)
Stir in the lemon peel and pistachios by hand, blending evenly.
Using your hands, take about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and form it into a 1-inch ball.
Place it on a baking sheet and flatten with the palm of your hand until the cookie is about 1/2-inch thick.
Continue until all the dough is used, and all the cookies are flattened.
You should have about 36 cookies, each one an inch away from the next; employ multiple cookie sheets if necessary.
Don't worry if the cookies are not uniformly smooth.
Bake in the oven until the cookies start to turn golden, about 15 minutes.
Cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
The cookies may feel soft, but they'll firm up as they cool.
Store in an airtight container.
Tips:
You may be tempted to serve these delicious, buttery cookies with the granita, but I like them much better with a cup of espresso after the granita.
I think they're best just a few hours out of the oven, but they're also very good when baked the day before.
