Recipe: Pastura (Italian Holiday Cookies, Michael Chiarello)

PASTURA (ITALIAN HOLIDAY COOKIES)

"During the holidays Mom would bake as many of these as we liked, but once the season was over, we would have to wait until the following year for more. You can leave the nuts out if your kids, like mine, don't like them."

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (1 lb.; see Chef's Note), plus more for dusting work surface
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/3 cups honey, warm (1 lb., see Chef's Note)
1 large egg
12 ounces Scharffen Berger bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
Vegetable spray
About 6 ounces unblanched whole almonds (about 1 1/2 cups)

Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the honey and egg and beat on low to medium speed just until mixed. This makes a very sticky dough. You can roll it out immediately or scrape it into a ball, place it in a bowl, cover with a tea towel and chill for 2 hours or up to overnight.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl and place over (but not touching) gently simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until melted and smooth. Let cool until warm. (To melt in a microwave, mix the chocolate and cream in a bowl and microwave on high for about 30 seconds. Stir, then repeat.)

Meanwhile, cut 3 sheets of parchment paper large enough to fit your baking sheets. The dough is very sticky and difficult to roll out even on a well-floured board.

Lightly spray 2 parchment sheets with vegetable spray. Transfer half the dough to 1 prepared sheet and top with the second. The dough is so easily worked that you can begin to spread it with your hands. Roll the dough into as even a rectangle as you can, about 10 inches by 15 inches. It can easily be pushed and prodded into shape. Peel off the top sheet of parchment.

Spread half the chocolate in a 3- or 4-inch-wide band down the length of the dough, leaving the top half of the dough free and an inch or so border around the remaining 3 sides. Arrange the almonds, side by side, in short rows across the chocolate band. Each row should abut the next to make a regular pattern.

Use the parchment to fold the top half of dough over the almonds and chocolate. Carefully peel back the paper and press the edges together to seal. Slide the shaped log, still on the parchment, onto a baking sheet. Lightly spray the third sheet of parchment with vegetable spray, and repeat the shaping and filling with the remaining half of the dough. Slide the log onto the same baking sheet, if there is room. The dough is so soft, it is best to not move it off the parchment until after baking.

Bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet. If you like softer, chewy cookies, let the logs cool until still slightly warm, then wrap well. If you prefer crispier cookies, let the logs cool completely, then wrap.

Using a serrated knife, cut the logs crosswise through the middle of each row of almonds, so their rounded shapes show on each side of the cookies. Cut just before serving or the cookies will dry out.

CHEF'S NOTES:
My mother's recipe calls for 1 pound of flour and 1 pound of honey. If you have a scale, put it to use for this project. Use all the honey or the dough won't have the right consistency. Ensure this by buying a 1-pound jar of honey. Microwave it briefly to warm it. Then it will all run out easily and you don't have to fuss with measuring at all. Even then, scrape out all the honey with a rubber spatula.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies
Source: Michael Chiarello