Pistacchio Macaroons

by Andreas Wittenstein

True macaroons are flourless cookies made from nuts instead of grains. Leave out leavening, and they're kosher for Passover. Though often associated with coconuts, nuttier nuts such as hazelnuts and almonds make heartier macaroons. My personal favorite is pistacchio.

The pistacchio has flourished in Israel since the end of the last Ice Age. The native terebinths (Pistacia terebinthus and Pistacia atlantica) bear smaller nuts than the true pistacchio (Pistacia vera), which was introduced in post-Biblical times. So highly prized were pistacchios (בָּטְנִים) that Israel had Judah bear them --along with date honey, gum, ladanum, and almonds-- as gifts for Joseph when ransoming Reuben with Benjamin [Genesis 43:11].

Preheat oven to 400°F.

2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 lb. shelled pistacchios
1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind (i.e. rind from 1 lemon)
1/2 tsp. grated orange rind (i.e. rind from 1 orange)
1 1/2 c. sugar

Whip the eggs and vanilla extract.
Grind the pistacchios. A food processor with a multipurpose blade does this in a few seconds.
Mix the pistacchios, sugar, and orange and lemon rind with the whipped eggs.
Scoop or roll the dough into balls 1" to 1 1/2" in diameter.
Place on parchment paper on a cookie sheet or on teflon-coated cookie sheet on the top oven rack (to prevent burning the bottoms).
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the tops turn golden brown.
Remove with stiff spatula when cookies are moderately warm; Too hot and they'll fall apart; Too cold and they'll be glued to the pan by the egg white and sugar. If you let the balls sit for a few hours before baking, some of the egg white and sugar will run out and form a caramelized fringe.

Site design by BitJazz Inc. .