Olive Oil and Wine – A Very Nice Cookie

For an afternoon snack, an accompaniment to an after-dinner glass of wine, or tidbits for surprise guests, these biscotti are perfect. Not too sweet, and great for dunking, these little cookies bear a distinct resemblance to Sicily’s famous Biscotti di Regina, but they are made with olive oil and perfumed with Nero d’Avola wine. A hint of cinnamon and white pepper add warmth and spice.

 

I tried making these with various flours – pastry, cake, American all-purpose flour, and with Italy’s tipo 00 (doppio zero – a finely milled wheat flour.) I preferred the cookies made entirely with tipo 00 flour; they had a light, crisp bite the others lacked. The designation tipo 00 refers to finely milled flour – not to its protein content, nor necessarily to the strain of wheat used to make the flour. In the U.S. flour protein content, along with the types of wheat, are generally classified by the way the flour will be used – pastry, cake, all-purpose, and finally, coming in at the “strongest”, bread flour. The Italian cook has available a wide array of flours – many strains of wheat, many protein levels and various grinds. Most of the tipo 00 flour available for purchase in the U.S. can be used interchangeably with our all-purpose flour. Italian markets and delis sell it, and Amazon offers a number of brands. However, if you have only American all-purpose flour, you can still make these biscotti. They’re a delight no matter what flour you use.

 

Nero d’Avola wine imparts its signature notes of spice and flavor along with a slightly dark color.  This is one of Sicily’s most important wines, and has come into its own over the last few years.  The Nero d’Avola grape (black grape of Avola), from which the wine is made, thrives in the arid climate of Sicily, particularly in the south near the town of Avola, famous also for its almonds. While the grape’s cultivation was originally confined to the southeast of Sicily, today it is grown across the region. The wine is widely available in the United States, and in all price ranges. You can certainly spend a lot, and you’ll enjoy it if you do, but know that this is an affordable, delicious wine, with many bottles available for less than ten dollars. 

 

To be honest, you’ll spend more on the olive oil. The cookies will only be as good as the ingredients you use to make them, and believe me, the oil counts. It acts to tenderize the dough, while adding its unique flavor notes. I suggest you go local and use a Sicilian extra virgin olive oil for these cookies, perhaps Olio Verde, Pianogrillo, or Ravida. I used Ravida, a light green oil, intensely fruity with a bit of pepperiness, and it was a delight in these cookies. Sicilian oils are beautiful to look at, ranging in color from yellow to green, depending on the olives used to make them. Lush, velvety and smooth, these are some of the finest Italy has to offer. They are widely available, and once you try them, you will not want to be without them.

 

• 1 ½ cups tipo 00 flour

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

• Pinch of fine sea salt

• ¼ cup Nero d’Avola wine

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Sicilian extra virgin olive oil

• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½  cup sesame seeds

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Position the rack in the center of the oven. Place the sesame seeds on a rimmed cookie sheet and toast until light golden, about 10 minutes, stirring three times to promote even toasting. Watch carefully to avoid burning the seeds which will leave them quite bitter. Remove the seeds from the oven, and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, white pepper, and sea salt. Set aside. Fit a standing mixer with the whisk attachment and beat the extra virgin olive oil, sugar, and vanilla extract together until the sugar has dissolved completely and the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes on medium-high speed.

Remove the whisk attachment and replace it with the flat beater. On low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the wine, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Increase to medium speed and beat until the mixture comes together.  

 

Use a tablespoon measure or scoop to form the dough into balls. You can leave the dough in balls to make round cookies or press and pinch each ball of dough, forming 1½ inch logs with slightly tapered edges. (They look little football-shaped cookies.) Mist each cookie lightly with water, and roll in toasted sesame seeds to coat. Place the cookies 1 inch apart on a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Bake on the center rack of a 350 degree F. oven about 22 minutes, until firm to the touch. Use a small spatula to transfer the cookies to wire racks. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.