Italian Sesame Cookies

by Jean M.
(Wausau, WI)

When I saw the RSS feed for your Toasted Sesame Seed Cookies, I immediately thought of these delicious Italian Sesame Seed cookies that I wanted to share.

I first made these crisp not-too-sweet little cookie logs on a Vermont Culinary Vacation with my sister. We spent several days together cooking, eating, shopping, learning and drinking wine. It was so much fun.

I've made them several times since then for family and friends as thank you and hostess gifts and they're always well received.

In Sicily, such Biscotti di Regina are made with butter and white flour, but this variation with whole wheat flour and olive oil is just as delicious.

Good with coffee, espresso or a sweet dessert wine, their rich and addictive sesame flavor is hard to resist.

This recipe makes a little batch of cookies, which can be a good way to prevent yourself from eating too many!

Italian Sesame Seed Cookies
makes 20 little cookies

Ingredients

1/4 cup white (hulled) sesame seeds
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup mild extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

On an ungreased cookie sheet, toast the sesame seeds for 10 minutes, or until golden. Remove cooke sheet from the oven and put the toasted seeds on a large plate.

In a large bowl mix and whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt until everything is well blended.

In another bowl beat together the egg, olive oil and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir and then knead by hand to make a smooth dough. (It will be slightly crumbly, but will still hold together.)

Pinch of lumps of dough that are about a tablespoon in volume, and roll them between your hands into fat little logs that are about 1-1/2 inches long and 3/4-inch in thickness.

Roll each log in sesame seeds, tamping the ends square in the seed to finish them.

Lay each little log on the ungreased baking sheet about 1-inch apart. (There should be just enough toasted sesame seeds to coat all the cookies evenly.

Place the cookie sheet in the center of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

These cookies will keep well in a tightly covered container or closed tin.