Recipe: Sweet Potato Cookies (with almonds, pine nuts, and hazelnuts)

SWEET POTATO COOKIES

1/2 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 pound almonds (about 3 cups), chopped
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, separated
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pine nuts
1 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine sweet potatoes with water to cover. Bring to a boil and boil until very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and place in a large bowl. Mash well with fork or potato masher. Let cool.

Add almonds, sugar, flour, egg yolks, lemon zest and vanilla to sweet potatoes, and mix with wooden spoon or electric mixer until well blended. Using your hands, knead mixture for a few minutes until dough holds together. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil 4 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

In shallow bowl, lightly beat egg whites.

In another shallow bowl, stir together pine nuts and hazelnuts.

To form each cookie, pinch off a piece of dough the size of a walnut and roll into a ball between your palms. Flatten ball a bit, brush it with egg whites, and roll it in nuts, coating evenly. Place on prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies about 1 inch apart.

Working in batches, bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

Cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Makes about 6 dozen
Source: Savoring Spain and Portugal by Joyce Goldstein