Dense, nostalgic and hearty, this family recipe from Garibaldina member Amanda Lanza, who is also the chef and founder of the club's popular Bar Bene series, is a take on a classic Italian breakfast cookie or biscottoni. Designed to be enjoyed with a glass of milk or espresso, it's a simple, vanilla-scented treat and heartier than a classic sugar cookie. Lanza's family calls it “The Brick” in a nod to the hard consistency that made it the Sicilian matriarch of her family, Antonina Di Maria, who continued to bake it almost until her death at the age of 104.
As a professional chef, Lanza slightly adapted Di María's recipe and its baking time to obtain a less brick-like cookie, resulting in a fluffier, softer center. When preparing the cookies, using a ladle helps each portion to be uniform. It also makes the task of forming the dough balls easier, to the point of not having to weigh each one. Di María mixed the cookie dough by hand, which gave it a lumpier consistency; Lanza recommends using a stand mixer to get a uniform texture.
