Pizzelle Cookies (Italian)

 

Pizzelle Cookies (Italian)

Every Christmas Momma Videccia would invite me over to her kitchen and whip up a batch of Italian cookies that are called Pizzelle Cookies.  

As a history researcher, I couldn’t help but wonder what the origin of this cookie was, so I looked it up. Here’s what I found. Pizzelle are among the oldest cookies, tracing their roots back to ancient Roman crustulum. Originally crafted in Ortona, a municipality in Italy's Abruzzo region, these delightful treats spread to nearby Molise and Lazio. Various cultures have since created similar cookies, like Norway's krumkake. The recipe below is what Momma Videccia shared with me and told me never to lose, as it was her mother's recipe handed down to her. These cookies are so light and tasty that you can’t just eat one. Brew yourself a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy them on a cold winter’s night.

Ingredients:

3 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus
  more for brushing

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until light yellow and thick ribbons fall from the whisk, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the 8 Tbs. melted butter, the vanilla, and lemon zest and whisk until blended.

Over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour and baking powder. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture in two additions, folding each addition just until blended.

You have two choices here. 1 the old-fashioned kind of pizzelle maker or the electric press machine. I prefer the old-fashioned kind that is used with hot oil to make the cookies. While others like to use the electric kind because they're lazy. So, Heat a pizzelle maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Brush lightly with butter and spoon about 1 Tbs. of the batter onto the pizzelle maker. If any batter oozes out, cut it off immediately. Cook according to the manufacturer's instructions until golden brown. Transfer the pizzelle to a wire rack and let cool. Repeat with the remaining batter. If using the old-fashioned pizzelle mold maker, heat the oil to frying temperature and then dip the press into the oil to heat the mold. Then dip the mold into the batter and then directly into the hot oil. Leave in oil until the batter is browned, then remove and place on a cooling rack. Repeat until all the batter is used up.

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts from Phoenix University in Business Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Phoenix University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft, and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, Gouche, and pastels. As a political operative having worked on over 300 campaigns, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs ranging from art to life coaching, food, writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week. 

Desserts, Potpourri of Frugality. Kilbride