The comprehensive recipe for soft Amaretti cookies from Modena - Amaretti morbidi di Modena

Dear Diary,

We bid farewell to the beautiful, vineyard-rich region of Piedmont and headed south to Modena. On the way, we stopped in a small mountain town for a wonderful lunch that included stuffed zucchini flowers and fresh pasta. My friend Tamir had a particularly exciting dinner awaiting him in Modena at the restaurant of the renowned Italian chef Massimo Bottura, so we didn't get a chance to wander around town. In an uncharacteristic move, I decided to skip the opportunity to join the meal, so on our first night in the city, each of us had dinner separately. And that, essentially, is the reason I'm writing you this article.

The apartment we rented was on the outskirts of Modena, close to Massimo's restaurant, which was part of a luxurious hotel that he and his wife had established. I drove Tamir to the restaurant, whose entrance was through a long, secluded dirt road leading to a typical wrought-iron estate gate. On the way, a blue Maserati passed us. Later, I realized it was Massimo himself behind the wheel. The sun began to set, and it was time for me to find a place for dinner.

Driving into the city seemed too complicated at this hour, but I discovered that not far from Masimo's restaurant, there was an Italian eatery dedicated to the cuisine of Emilia-Romagna and Modena. It was also situated on a relatively large property, housed in a small villa. It felt as if I had entered private grounds, there were no cars or people in sight, except for a few ducks gathering near my car. They looked particularly large, I thought to myself. As I approached the entrance, I was greeted by an elderly hostess who graciously let me choose my seat. I, as always, opted for the most secluded table outside. They say that people tend to remember the beginning and end of a story, and I believe that’s the case here as well, as I write these lines. I remember my appetizer quite well, a plate of Parmesan aged two or three years, accompanied by a bottle of traditional balsamic vinegar, aged at least twelve years and locally produced. The thought that I could use such high-quality balsamic so freely... yet, out of respect, I drizzled it sparingly over each piece of Parmesan. I remember the end of the story even better.

I usually don’t finish a meal with dessert unless it’s a unique local specialty that I try for the experience. Even then, I can be quite picky, especially when dining alone. I was already full when the hostess suggested a simple alternative to the rich desserts, an Amaretti cookie. Simple as it was, I will never forget that moment. The cookie had a baked exterior yet was surprisingly soft inside, giving the impression of a smooth, nutty filling thanks to its almond-based dough. It appeared plain at first glance but was much more complex on the palate. I left the restaurant happy and excited to tell Tamir about the experience. Just before starting the car, I went back inside to ask for one more cookie for him; he had to taste it, I thought. Enthusiastically, I asked the hostess for another cookie, and she generously explained, “It’s just almonds, egg whites, and sugar.” "There’s no filling?" I wondered.

Despite its simplicity, the cookie left a deep impression on me, and the hostess took pride in that. She knew there was no substitute for a well-executed traditional recipe and the emotions it could evoke. Tamir, I should mention, remembers nothing about the cookie. But in his defense, he had just experienced a dream-like meal at Massimo’s restaurant.

The foundations of amaretti cookies

The cookie I had and am familiar with consists of:

• Blanched almond flour

• Egg whites

• White sugar

• Possibly Amaretto liqueur

Almond types

The market offers a variety of almonds from different regions depends where you are located around the world (most come from the US, California, but you also have Australia, Spain, and local farmers), each with slightly different flavors. Some more bitter, some less so. The Italians also have their own variety of almonds, which have a distinctive taste. Personally, I use American almonds, ensuring they are as sweet as possible. Yes, I, too, would prefer local produce, but the truth is, I find these tastier.

It seems that Italians use almonds with a naturally sweet flavor (such as American ones), but some also add a tiny amount of more bitter almonds. That makes sense when you realize that the word amaretti comes from the Italian amaro, meaning "bitter." Alternatively, some bakers incorporate a small amount of flour made from apricot kernels. Turns out that inside them is a kernel that looks like an almond! If you decide to use bitter almonds or apricot seeds, be sure to use only a small amount, as they contain cyanide.

Blanched or unblanched?

Traditional Amaretti cookies are made with blanched almonds, but I’ve also tried using unblanched almond flour. The result was interesting, more pronounced almond flavor and a darker color. Both options work! (And between us, I also tried adding ground pistachios. Interesting, but not amaretti.)

Grinding the almonds

Freshness is crucial here. Buying almond flour from the supermarket, whether blanched or not, comes with the risk that it may not be fresh enough. We don’t know when the almonds were ground or how the flour was stored. Since this cookie relies almost entirely on almonds, stale flour will significantly impact the final product.

Buy pre-ground or grind at home?

One option is to buy fresh almonds, peel them at home (which is surprisingly quick and easy), and grind them in a food processor. This guarantees maximum freshness, but unless you have a professional grinder, the texture will be slightly grainy. Some may like it, others not, like my dad, who couldn’t even finish half a cookie like that.

For the classic version, you need ultra-fine almond flour. To ensure freshness, I only buy from trusted spice shops. Alternatively, you can taste the blanched almonds and ask them to grind them into flour on the spot (though the ready-made flour they sell might be fresher).

The last option for me is to buy almond flour from the supermarket.

Sweetness

From what I’ve seen in Modena and online, Italians use a lot of sugar, about 90% of the total almond flour weight. The one I tried to recreate wasn’t overly sweet, and I use much less sugar in my version. Feel free to adjust the amount to your liking!

Shape and texture

The cookie I had in Modena wasn’t a perfectly round Amaretti; instead, it had an irregular, “spiky” shape, resembling the famous Jewish Passover coconut cookies. This shape is traditional in Modena, but you’ll also find many that look more uniform, made using a piping bag or rolled by hand. Most were relatively large, again, similar in size to the Jewish Passover coconut cookies, but slightly smaller.

Not long ago, I had a short visit to Modena and had to eat one again. It was available at several stalls in the famous "Albinelli" market as well as in various bakeries. The taste was identical to the experience I had back then and to the one I baked at home. While the one I ate at the restaurant back then had a more undefined and slightly homemade appearance, this one had a more elegant shape thanks to a piping nozzle.

A note on store-bought Amaretti cookies

After eating that unforgettable cookie in the restaurant, I discovered that there are different types of Amaretti cookies around Italy, which you can also find supermarkets. A very common one is crispy rather than soft. These are often crumbled and used as a filling for pasta dishes or in other recipes. If you are willing to buy some soft ones in the supermarket search for Amaretti morbidi.

Recipe

Basic guidelines:

• For every 90g of blanched almond flour, use 1 egg white (from a large egg).

• 30% sugar relative to the almond flour amount.

• 1 teaspoon of Amaretto liqueur per 90g of almond flour (optional).

Ingredients (for about 8 medium-sized cookies):

• 180g blanched almond flour

• 2 Egg whites (from large eggs)

• 54g white sugar

• 2 teaspoons of Amaretto liqueur (optional)

Equipment:

• Whisk (electric, or manual if you're Superman)

• Flat baking tray

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.

2. Mix the almond flour, sugar, and liqueur thoroughly.

3. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. (How stiff? The mixture should stick to the bowl. If you turn it upside down, it shouldn’t fall. Please don’t test this over the floor!)

4. Gradually fold the almond mixture into the egg whites gently. The final mixture should be slightly sticky with a nice almond-colored hue.

5. Using your hands or a spoon, scoop generous portions of the mixture. You can shape them into rounds or simply place them on the tray. (I don’t mind irregular shapes, but if you prefer, you can roll them into balls and flatten them, or pipe them using a pastry bag for a more elegant look.)

6. Bake for about 17 minutes on the middle oven rack. They should not become too brown, just lightly golden.

7. Transfer to a cooling rack after baking.

8. Let them rest for at least 15 minutes to cool and soften.

Shelf life

From my experience, these keep well in the fridge for about four days (since they’re egg-white-based, I wouldn’t recommend storing them at room temperature).

Buon appetito!

Royi