Rosemary Parmesan Crostini

The New York Times may have called this recipe a biscotti, but a biscotti it is not. Antonio Mattei would not approve. I'm re-branding this as a good crostini base instead. 

I didn't intend for this post to be so much of a critique of a recipe, but it is what it is. Happens to every baker. Have you ever been thoroughly confused by a recipe? A biscotti with no sugar? Calls for an equal amount of egg whites and yolks? Walnuts instead of a more traditional pine nut, despite the Parmesan and rosemary? I accept that American biscotti is incredibly different than Antonio Mattei makes it (who I think of as the godfather of biscotti), and I do love a recipe renaissance, with new and inventive twists, BUT, I also have an issue with misnomered food. With this recipe the NYT strayed a bit too far and wound up with a an entirely different product. Biscuit, yes, but biscotti no.

That said, it's like most take out Chinese food. It's good food, just not good Chinese food. This recipe makes for a good biscuit, just not a good biscotti. I do however love it as a crostini base. So far I've been using it to go with a cream cheese and artichoke spread. (Tons of flavor!) It's also been a really great dipping bread for lemon flavored olive oil.

With all this said, I am now about to set out to make a more traditional rosemary-parmesan biscotti. The idea is just too good to let go.

Enjoy!

Rosemary-Parmesan Crostini

As adapted from the New York Times

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for kneading

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

5 eggs

1/2 cup water

Olive oil spray

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, Parmesan, pepper, rosemary and pine nuts. Whisk together 4 of the eggs and the water. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Stir to combine.

Lightly flour your hands and a work surface; turn out the dough and knead until smooth. Divide the dough in half and shape each piece into a 2 1/2-inch-thick log. Spray a baking sheet with the olive oil and place the dough logs on it. Whisk the remaining egg and brush it over the dough. Bake for 35 minutes.

Let cool for a few minutes and then cut the biscotti on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place on the baking sheet cut side down, using 2 pans if necessary. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake until browned, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely.

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti has that perfect crunch and a deep rich taste of cocoa and roasted hazelnuts. It was a crowd pleaser and one of the first things gobbled up at the Easley wedding!

My apologies in advance that this is a production shot as the main shot. I don't actually have ANY finished photos. It got so insanely out of my mind hectic too dark before I was able to take a finished shot! Imagine, if you will, a cute swirl of crème fraiche and an equally delightful swirl of Nutella on top of these biscotti: hopefully your mind's eye is as good as my memory. They were beautiful, and so elegant atop their beautiful silver platters. [All of this is true. They were lovely. Plus, crème fraiche!--B.]

Things around my life had been a little crazy. Okay, a lot crazy. Between doing two people's work for the last two weeks, a wedding to cater, a birthday to celebrate, a trip out of town, a large breakfast to serve, and Stephen and I calling it quits, I'm spent. I did spend Saturday relaxing but then Sunday's stresses of trying to figure out the long distance relationship and then ending it entirely had me about done in. All of that is leading up to my apology that I haven't done a lick of baking that wasn't for someone else since............um, uh, actually, I can't remember. I have a hard time remembering anything that didn't happen in the 24 hours immediately prior to any given moment! But before you ask, I'm ok, it's been a GOOD 24 hours, what I remember of them, and that's what counts. [Never fear, I'm monitoring her closely for signs of heartbreak. So far, all clear on the emotional front. --B.]

Anyway, Butchie and I actually baked this biscotti.........nearly two weeks ago? Wow. I am so far behind it's amazing. Mea culpa! Without further ado (primarily because I can't take anymore ado!) here is the adapted recipe for chocolate hazelnut biscotti:

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti
adapted from epicurious

1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted & husked

3 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Grind 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts in processor. Set aside. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Beat butter and sugar in another large bowl to blend. Add eggs and vanilla and almond extracts and beat until well blended. Beat in flour mixture. Mix in 1 cup whole toasted hazelnuts, chocolate chips and 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts.

Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece on baking sheet into 2 1/2-inch-wide by 14-inch-long log (Ours resembles more of a 2x4 than a log, aim for the log as it helps with spreading). Place logs on prepared baking sheet, spacing 3 1/2 inches apart . Logs will spread during baking!. Bake until logs feel firm when tops are gently pressed, about 35 minutes. Cool logs on baking sheet 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

Using long wide spatula, transfer baked logs to cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut warm logs crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on 2 baking sheets. Bake biscotti until firm, about 15 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool completely.