I think peanut butter is about as American as Apple Pie. In fact, peanut butter and apples go really well together (though I’m not sure I’d like the pie). Most Italians are instinctively repulsed by peanut butter, labeling it as “grassissimo” (very fat!) and “pesante” (heavy/rich), and of course, they’re right.
But when peanut butter is eaten in small quantities, it doesn’t have to be bad for you!
Since peanut butter is getting a bit easier to find in Italy (as opposed to previous years of it being almost nonexistent), I thought it would be nice to share one of my favorite cookie’s recipe: Peanut Butter Cookies for today’s La Buona Cucina Americana : being hosted by Judith at Think on It. Be sure to check the list of recipes of American dishes in both English and Italian. My last entry for this was Barbecue Bacon Baked Beans.
The most important thing about Peanut Butter cookies is the signature criss-cross imprint on top of each cookie. I have no idea what the history of this crisscross is, only that you must do this, and it nicely decorates an otherwise boring-looking cookie. I am not posting the recipe in English since it’s based on this Peanut Butter recipe from Betty Crocker, though I did not use shortening nor chill the mix for 2 hours before cooking.
Other Americans reading, why don’t you share what you do differently to your Peanut Butter cookies?
Biscotti al burro di arachidi
Basato sulla ricetta Peanut Butter Cookies da Betty Crocker : invece di usare lo strutto vegetale (shortening), ho aumentato leggermente il burro di arachidi
175g peanut butter / burro di arachidi
100g granulated sugar / zucchero
100g dark brown sugar / zucchero di canna con melassa
50g butter / burro
200g flour / farina
1 egg / uovo
3/4 teaspoon baking soda / cucchiaino livieto al soda di bicarbinato
1/4 teaspoon baking powder / cucchiaino livieto in polvere
1 pizzico sale
Riscaldare il forno a 190C. Mescolare i burri, gli zuccheri e l’uovo insieme. Aggiungere la farina e i lievitanti e il sale. Rotolare la pasta in palline di 3cm. Metterli su una teglia per i biscotti. Con una forchetta, appiattirli leggermente facendo una croce / incrocio su ogni palline.
Infornarli per 9-10 minuti, e lasciarli raffreddare sulla teglia per 5 minuti e poi rimuoverli dalla teglia.
Silly italians. Burro, cotenna, formaggi, and lardo aren’t exactly lean foods. Funny that you should post peanut butter because the other day, wanting to kill a pb-and-chocolate fix, I took a Lindt bunny and spread Calvé pb all over its ears. It damn looked like a righteous little thing with a burro di arachidi turban on its head. “Bite me,” it said.
When I found myself with an abundance of hazelnuts one year I used them instead of peanut butter, and called the resulting cookies “Hazelnutters”. My Italian friends loved them!
½ cup shortening
½ cup butter
1 ¼ cups brown sugar
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 ½ cups flour
¾ cups ground toasted hazelnuts
In a mixing bowl beat shortening and butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat til combined, scraping bowl often. Beat in egg and vanilla til combined. Beat in as much of the flour as possible with the mixer. Stir in the remaining flour.
Shape dough into two 10” long rolls. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 4 to 48 hours, or until firm enough to slice.
Cut dough into ¼” thick slices. Place slices 1” apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375º about 10 minutes or until edges are firm.
Makes about 60 cookies.
I have got to bake these, too! They look super yummy.
Oh, gosh. We have just met each other (remember? GGD, I was there with my girlfriend) and you’re already trying to kill me.
I must try those. Definitely. Peanut butter, here I come!
The inventors of Nutella think peanut butter is unhealthy?
These are my favorite cookies, I think. I’d echo the other comments, btw. The difference, of course, is that Italians are much better at eating things in balance than we are. ;-)
Peanut butter cookies are definitely one of my faves! And yes, the criss-cross really makes them…at least it labels them so you know what they are ;)
Okay, I have to know — WHERE have you found peanut butter in Italy? Since we moved here, I have found maple syrup, condensed milk, and Worcesterchire sauce, but peanut butter? No such luck.
@bethany: where in Italy? I usually found peanut butter in some grocery stores and in coffee roasting shops. Lately, a lot of ethnic goceries that opened here in my town started selling it.
It’s quite easy to find, indeed.
@Rowena – Calve is everywhere. I’m not a huge fan…but it satisfies. :)
@Barb – Thanks for that recipe!
@Bethany – I think it matters what part of Italy you’re in, but Esselunga stores carry it in their “ethnic” section, and almost all the Asian/International stores have it.
I’m in Perugia, and none of our local supermarkets carry it, but I’ll have to nose around for a more international store. Thanks for the tip about coffee roasting shops too — I’ll keep my eyes open!
The photo of that pb cookie is making my mouth water!
thank you you help me to plan my trip in Florence.i will post my journey diary this week on my blog .
with the good addresses i pick up.
your blog is very inspiring.
I hope you will enjoy mine.
i am leaving in Paris but i am writing in english about fashion ,inspirations and trends.
Ah! My favorite! How did you know? ;)
These look great Sara. I’ve never made PB cookies … yet! :-)