Perhaps one of the best known desserts in Tuscany, undoubtedly the most famous in Prato, it only came into being in the XIX century but immediately made its mark thanks to its delicious simplicity.
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INGREDIENTS |
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Sugar |
250 |
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g |
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Flour |
250 |
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g |
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Unpeeled almonds |
100 |
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g |
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Beaten eggs |
4 |
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n° |
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Grated orange rind |
1 |
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teaspoon |
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Vanilla |
1/2 |
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teaspoon |
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Yeast for cakes |
1/2 |
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teaspoon |
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Butter |
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to taste |
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Salt |
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to taste |
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PREPARATION |
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| 1. |
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Toast the almonds in the oven at 180 degrees for a few minutes then chop finely. |
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| 2. |
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Spread the flour on a surface and mix in the eggs, yeast, sugar and a little salt until a smooth dough is obtained to which the almonds are added. |
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| 3. |
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Roll out the dough into a series of lengths which should be 1cm in height and 3cm wide. Place on a greased oven sheet sprinkled with flour then bake for about a quarter of an hour. |
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| 4. |
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Cut the dough into diagonal slices of about 1 cm thickness, then bake again for about 25 minutes. |
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| 5. |
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Serve with classic Vin Santo. |
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CHEF'S NOTE |
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To get the best out of two products of such high quality, namely cantucci biscuits and Vin Santo, it is preferable not to dunk the biscuits in the wine but to simply eat them together. |
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The Tuscan menu requires a strong wine which can accompany the dishes without altering its flavours; at the same time, however, it should not come across as a weak companion. Tuscany itself provides us with its best reds such as an intense Brunello di Montalcino, a classic Chianti or an elegant Bolgheri-Sassicaia. |
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