Brutti ma Buoni

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Rimmed baking sheet for toasting nuts
• •Heavy-bottomed saucepan or 10-inch skillet
• •Electric mixer or large whisk
• •Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
• •Parchment paper

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the hazelnuts

   Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in a 350°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until the skins crack and blister and the nuts are golden beneath. You will smell them before you see the color change. Remove from the oven and let cool for five minutes.

   Do not skip this step or undercook the nuts. Raw hazelnuts taste like nothing. Properly toasted hazelnuts taste like everything this cookie should be.
2. 2

   Skin the hazelnuts

   While still warm, bundle the hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel. Rub vigorously, letting the friction loosen the papery skins. Open the towel and pick out the nuts, leaving the skins behind. Some skin will cling. This is acceptable. Do not obsess. You want most of the skins removed, not every last flake.

3. 3

   Chop the hazelnuts

   Chop the skinned hazelnuts by hand with a heavy knife. You want a mixture of sizes: some pieces the size of a pea, others finer. Do not use a food processor, which will crush them into paste. The irregular texture is the point. Set aside.

4. 4

   Beat the egg whites

   In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt using a whisk or electric mixer until they hold soft peaks. Add the sugar gradually, a few tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue until the whites are glossy and hold stiff peaks when the whisk is lifted. Add the vanilla and beat briefly to incorporate.

5. 5

   Fold in the hazelnuts

   Using a large spatula, fold the chopped hazelnuts into the meringue. Work gently but thoroughly. The nuts should be evenly distributed throughout. The mixture will be thick and heavy, no longer the ethereal cloud of pure meringue.

6. 6

   Cook the mixture

   Transfer the mixture to a heavy-bottomed saucepan or large skillet. Set over the lowest possible heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom and sides. The mixture will seem to melt, become liquid, then gradually thicken again. Continue stirring for 15 to 20 minutes. The mixture is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the pan cleanly and holds its shape when you stop stirring.

   This step cannot be rushed. Low heat and constant stirring prevent the egg whites from scrambling. If you see any specks of cooked white, your heat is too high.
7. 7

   Shape the cookies

   Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Working quickly while the mixture is still warm and pliable, use two spoons to drop rough mounds onto the prepared sheets, spacing them about two inches apart. Each cookie should be approximately one and a half tablespoons. Do not smooth them. Do not shape them into balls. Let them be ugly. That is their nature.

   Dip your spoons in cold water between cookies if the mixture sticks. Work quickly. Once the mixture cools, it becomes difficult to shape.
8. 8

   Bake until crisp

   Bake in a 300°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. The cookies are done when they are golden brown and feel dry to the touch on top, but still give slightly when pressed. They will crisp further as they cool. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheets before removing. Do not touch them while warm. They are fragile until set.

9. 9

   Store properly

   Once completely cool, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for two weeks, though they rarely last that long. The contrast between crisp exterior and chewy interior remains if stored properly. Humidity is the enemy.

Chef Tips

• •The quality of your hazelnuts determines the quality of your cookies. Seek out Italian Tonda Gentile hazelnuts from Piedmont if possible. They are sweeter and more fragrant than Turkish or American varieties.
• •The stovetop cooking step is not optional. It is what makes brutti ma buoni different from ordinary meringue cookies. Trust the process. Keep the heat low. Keep stirring.
• •Room temperature egg whites whip to greater volume than cold ones. Separate your eggs 30 minutes before beginning, or set the whites in a bowl of warm water for five minutes.
• •These cookies are excellent with espresso and even better with vin santo. In Tuscany, you might dip them. In Piedmont, you would not. Both approaches are correct.

Advance Preparation

• •The hazelnuts can be toasted, skinned, and chopped up to three days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
• •The finished cookies keep for two weeks in an airtight container. Do not refrigerate them. The humidity ruins the texture.
• •The stovetop mixture cannot be held. Once cooked, shape and bake immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 17g)