Sassanelli Christmas Cookies

Sassanelli (little rocks) Pugliesi... all the flavors of Puglia in these delicious cookies! Another classic and traditional Christmas cookie from Puglia!

Ingredients

For 1 Person(s)

For the Cookies:

1 1/4 cups Vin Cotto
1 1/3 pounds flour
1 cup toasted crushed almonds
1 large egg
1/3 cup sugar
2 ounces oive oil
2 teaspoons Tsp Baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 lemon, zest only
1 small orange, zest only
whole unpeeled almonds for decoration

Directions

Warm up the Vin Cotto to make it lukewarm. Dissolve in it the baking soda.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, almonds, sugar and the lemon/orange zest. Mix well.
Add the Cinnamon and Cloves and mix well.
Beat the egg and add it to the bowl. Add the olive oil and mix well.
Little by little begin adding the Vin Cotto and mix it into all the ingredients.
By the time you are finished adding the Vin Cotto the dough will be rather firm and very sticky.
Work the dough with your hands for about 10 minutes.
Add a thin coating of flour to baking sheets and with a teaspoon drop a ball of dough in your hand, roll it into a ball and drop it on the baking sheet.
Press a raw almond on top of each cookie.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350F.