I am very happy about today’s post. If you follow Manu’s Menu, you will know that this blog is all about authentic Italian food. I do share many modern Italian recipes, but what makes me really happy is the possibility to share more traditional not so famous recipes, and above all, regional recipes. Italian food is very much linked to the territory and recipes vary widely from town to town. Today’s Biscotti della Tresca is a great example of local cuisine. These cookies are typical of the Abruzzo region, in central Italy. It is a very old recipe that used to be traditionally baked at the time of threshing. It is one of those recipes that are handed down from one generation to the other. These cookies have a “special” texture thanks to the ammonia bicarbonate used as a leavening agent. They become very spongy when dipped in liquid and they used to be eaten with wine by peasants after a long day of work in the fields. They are also not very sweet – they are something in-between cookies and bread. I guess they were a cheap meal that would quickly fill the workers up. Nowadays, they are mostly eaten for breakfast and dipped in milk instead of wine. You can also eat them plain, but they are a bit crunchier than your regular cookies. In my opinion these are the perfect cookies for “dipping”. Enjoy!
Biscotti della Tresca
Ingredients
- 230 gms – 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 60 gms – 1/3 cup granulated sugar plus more for the tops
- 10 gms – 2 tsp ammonia bicarbonate powder
- 20 ml 1 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Zest of half a lemon grated
- 50 ml – 3 1/3 tbsp milk
Instructions
-
Put the flour, sugar and ammonia bicarbonate powder in the bowl of an electric mixer and star mixing on low.
-
While mixing, add the eggs, milk, extra virgin olive oil, and lemon zest and mix until well combined.
-
Roll the dough into a 3 mm – 1/8 inch thick sheet and cut out 7 cm – 2 ¾ inch circles.
-
Coat the top with granulated sugar and put the cookies, sugar-side up, on a baking sheet covered with baking paper.
-
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C – 355°F for 15 minutes.
-
When ready, let them cool down on a wire rack.
-
Store in an air-tight container.
Did you mean sodium bicarbonate. Baking Soda.
Many thanks
– btw you have a wonderful site and great recipes!
Thanks! 🙂
It’s actually ammonia bicarbonate powder and not baking soda. This kind of ammonia is often used in cooking in Italy (especially in cookies)… it gives a different texture to the cookies, more brittle and spongy at the same time. 🙂 Here in Australia, I find it at my continental deli.
Is there a replacement for Ammonia Bicarbonate?
Hi Ann Marie. You can use baking powder, but the texture will not be as spongy.