Canistrelli
The last two cookies I’ve made on this site have been American-style, i.e.; on the larger side, with lots of flavors and other stuff going on. I like those, but I also like “quiet” European cookies, which are often simple, sometimes somewhat plain (like French sablés, or butter cookies), that let you focus on one or two flavors. Canistrelli fit that profile. Originally from Corsica, Canistrelli are flavored with anise and made with wine, and sometimes chestnut flour, which gives them a husky taste, but it’s not easy to find unless you live in Corsica.
The island of Corsica is the definition of “rugged.” Notable as the birthplace of Napoléon Bonapart (it’s most famous apéritif is Cap Corse, created by Louis-Napoléan Mattei) it lies between Italy and France, and was ceded to France in 1768 to settle a debt, which is still a point of contention to some local residents, who’d like their independence.
Corsica happens to be one of the of two places I’ve seen Romain, a native Parisian (and a trés Parisien driver, if you know what I mean…), become terrified on a road. People in Corsica didn’t seem to mind driving on whatever side of the mountain roads at high speeds, often preferring the opposite lane than the one they were supposed to be in. More than once we were surprised after rounding a sharp corner, suddenly faced with an oncoming car.
The other was in New York City, where this time, he was a passenger and stunned that I calmly navigated the aggressive drivers, quick-appearance highway exits, and pothole-filled roads. Nowadays I am now less scared of driving around Paris as his passenger, but the highways in and around New York are, admittedly, not for the timid. Or Romain.
What’s funny was when I was writing up this recipe, I did a search here on the blog for ‘canistrelli’ and landed on a post I wrote back in 2014 about our visit to Corsica.
One of the commenters said: “Quick, we need a recipe for canistrelli cookies.” I’m sorry to say that I didn’t hop right on it. But a lot has happened between then and now, so if you’re out there – still waiting – excuse the tardy reply
I’m not entirely sure if there is an official Canistrelli recipe or technique for making them, but last week I took an online cooking class and the instructor told us to line our skillets with parchment paper first, to make it easier to slide the dish from the pan when it was finished cooking. Even though a notable cookbook author advised me to do the same thing when cooking the same dish, some on social media felt otherwise. I never realized a 9-inch (22cm) circle of paper could cause so much commotion, but if a circle of paper was the worst problem I had…I’d consider myself lucky!
These Canistrelli get a double dose of anise due to the addition of anise seeds and pastis. Some Canistrelli have almonds (or other nuts) added to the dough, some do not. I’ve made this both ways and the cookies are prettier without the almonds, as you can make cleaner cuts, I do like the nutty flavor and crunch of almonds, so usually add them.
Canistrelli hew closer to cookies with an Italian heritage, such as biscotti, which can also be a little toothsome, and a little dry, since they’re often served for dipping in coffee or wine. I do like these with Cap Corse, a lively, quinine-flavored, family-owned Corsican apéritif flavored with local citrons, which Corsica is also famous for. It’s great in a spritz but also lovely on its own with a twist, perhaps with a splash of sparkling water. And, of course, a few Canistrelli served on the side…
Canistrelli
- 1 1/2 cups (200g) flour
- 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds, lightly crushed (these are optional but I like them a lot in these cookies)
- 1/3 cup (80ml) extra-virgin, olive oil
- 1/3 cup (80ml) pastis, (see headnote)
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) dry white wine, (or water)
- 1/3 cup (40g) lightly toasted almonds, coarsely chopped (optional, see headnote)
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Adjust the oven rack to the upper to mid-third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Prepare two sheets of parchment paper that are approximately 10 - 12-inches (25cm) squares or rectangles for rolling the dough. (To save resources, you can instead use the parchment sheets you've used to rolling the dough to line the baking sheet later.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and almonds and anise seeds, if using.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients with a spatula then add the olive oil, pastis, and white wine or water. Stir the mixture until it starts clumping together, then use your hands to gently knead the dough so it's cohesive, but won't be completely smooth if you used the almonds. The dough will be rather soft.
- To roll the dough, sprinkle 3/4 tablespoon of sugar on one sheet of the parchment paper roughly in a 6-inch (15cm) circle. Place the dough on top of the sugar. Lay the second sheet of parchment over the dough and pat it down into a flat square shape with your hand. Lift the parchment paper, sprinkle the remaining 3/4 tablespoon over the top of the dough, replace the parchment, and roll the dough until it's about 1/4-inch thick, which is will be about an 8-inch (20cm) square.
- To cut the cookies, trim the edges with a chef's knife or metal pastry scraper to make a neater square. Use the knife or scraper to cut the cookies into 25 squares.
- Because the dough is rather soft, to place the cookies on the baking sheet, slide the blade of a chef's knife or pastry scraper under one of the rows of the squares of dough and transfer them onto the baking sheet. Don't worry if they look a little funky after you move them; they're rustic cookies and part of their charm is they can be a bit misshapen. You can reroll any scraps between the parchment to make a few more cookies if you'd like.
- Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet midway during baking. Some of the cookies at the edges may get darker faster than the others. Feel free to move the cookies around on the baking sheet when you rotate the pan. If the cookies are not quite done after 20 minutes, turn the oven off but leave the cookies in the oven with the door closed until the cookies are light golden brown across the top, about 5 additional minutes.