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From Peter Salerno’s Kitchen: Italian Christmas Cookies

Cooking With Nonna’s Recipe for Almond Coffee Christmas Cookies

When it comes to authentic Italian cooking, you can’t do any better than going to the source itself – an Italian grandma! So it’s no wonder that Peter Salerno loves the site Cooking With Nonna, filled with delicious Italian recipes straight from the kitchens of Italian grandmothers.

Cooking With Nonna’s mission is “Sharing Grandma’s Italian recipes with the new generations”, and we love the idea. From appetizers to entrees, lunches to dinners to desserts, the site features some great Italian classics and modern spins on your favorite old-world Italian dishes.

You MUST try this almond coffee Italian Christmas cookie recipe. (Photo credit: Cooking with Nonna)

Cooking With Nonna is the creation of Rossella and Vito Rago. Rossella travels to the kitchens of grandmothers from all regions of Italy, bringing you the greatest recipes (and secret family recipes!) from all over Italy.

This recipe for Almond Coffee Cookies is one of Peter’s new favorites, and will be one of the recipes the Salernos use when they make Christmas cookies this year. Try it out for yourself, and see how these amazing flavors combine in your mouth for a beautiful Italian holiday dessert experience.

Italian Christmas Cookie Recipe: Almond Coffee Cookies (from Cooking With Nonna)

Ingredients:

1 Lb Almonds
1/2 Lb Sugar
Zest of 2 medium lemons
3 Egg whites
1 Tbs Espresso Ground Coffee
2 Tbs Unsweetened Cocoa powder
1/2 Cup Sugar for glazing (put it in a flat plate for rolling)
50 Whole coffee beans

Preparation:

To prepare the paste, boil the almonds and remove the peel. Once they are cold and somewhat dry, put them in a food processor or a blender and chop them finely.
Put the chopped almonds in a bowl, add the zest of the two lemons, the sugar, the ground coffee and the cocoa powder. Mix everything very well.
Add the egg whites and mix until the egg whites dilute the sugar and the mixture becomes a paste.
Take a lump of mixture in your hand, roll it into a ball the size slightly smaller than a golf ball.
Roll the ball completely into the sugar and place it on a baking sheet.
Slightly insert a coffee bean on top of each cookie.
Roll all your cookies and bake them for 30 mins. at 350F.

See more by clicking on this link and visiting Cooking With Nonna!

Our New Favorite Mousse: Spuma di Ricotta al Caffe

The amazing people at Saveur have done it again! At Peter Salerno Inc., we’re just crazy about this recipe. It’s a bold new take on a classic Italian dessert. You’ve probably had ricotta mousse (spuma di ricotta) if you love Italian desserts – but have you ever tried adding the flavor of coffee?

The result is a stunning ricotta and coffee mousse (spuma di ricotta al caffe) that will leave your taste buds at a loss for words. Equal parts light and rich, sweet and savory, it’s the perfect compliment to a great meal or an amazing cup of coffee.

(Just think: now you can have the world’s best cup of coffee brewed right from your smartphone or tablet by ordering TopBrewer from us, and pair it with this amazing mousse!)

Scroll down for this fantastic recipe, courtesy of Saveur!

Try this stunning ricotta and coffee mousse. (Photo credit: Saveur)

Recipe: Ricotta and Coffee Mousse (courtesy of Saveur)

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cups store-bought ricotta
1 cup cold heavy cream
⅓ cup sugar
2 tbsp. instant espresso
1 tbsp. powdered gelatin
Shaved chocolate

Preparation

1. Purée ricotta in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.

2. Whip together heavy cream and sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Set aside.

3. Bring ¼ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Whisk 2 tbsp. of the water with espresso in a small bowl. Whisk remaining water with gelatin in another small bowl until dissolved.

4. Stir espresso mixture into ricotta, then gelatin mixture; fold in cream in 3 stages. Chill mixture for 1 hour, then transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe mixture into 6 sundae glasses; refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Garnish with shaved chocolate.