Recipe: Green Chile Biscotti

GREEN CHILE BISCOTTI
"Biscotti are Italian biscuits or cookies, which are baked twice to make them very firm and crisp. This savory version is enhanced with a topping of cream cheese and jalapeno jelly."


2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 (4.5 oz.) can Old EI Paso Chopped Green Chiles
FOR SERVING:
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup jalapeno or hot pepper jelly

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheet.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and ground red pepper; mix well. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat in eggs and green chiles.

Shape dough into two (10-inch) logs. Place on greased cookie sheet; flatten logs until 3-inches wide.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes or until completely cooled.

Cut logs into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place, cut sides down, on same cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes or until tops are slightly dry. Turn cookies over; bake an additional 12 to 15 minutes or until tops are slightly dry. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool 15 minutes or until completely cooled.

To serve biscotti, spread with cream cheese; top with jelly.

VARIATION:
For a festive look, top some of the biscotti with dollops of hot pepper jelly and some with green jalapeno jelly. Then garnish the serving tray with yellow pickled peppers.

HIGH ALTITUDE (ABOVE 3500 FEET):
Increase flour to 2 1/4 cups. Bake as directed above.

Makes 36 biscotti
Source: Recipe booklet: The Best Appetizer Cookbook, Pillsbury Classic Cookbooks #191, January 1997