Buzzolai Bianchi, or Dalmatian Ring Cookies: Buzzolai are ring-shaped cookies, and were an essential part of every festivity in Dalmatia, in part because their round shape brings coins to mind, and in part because they're quite tasty. Every family had a recipe for them, and they vary greatly. Here's a simple recipe for Christmas Eve.
Prep Time: 60 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 1/3 cups (1 k) all purpose unbleached flour
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) sugar
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, whirred in a blender
- A pinch of cinnamon
- 2/3 cup (150 ml) olive oil
- 2 ounces baker's yeast (the active kind sold in the dairy section of the supermarket)
- Salt
Preparation:
Soak the whirred coriander in a little warm water for several hours.
Crumble the yeast into some of the water and add sufficient flour to make a soft starter loaf; put it in a floured bowl in a warm place, cover it, and let it rise until it doubles in volume, about a half hour.
Sift the remaining flour and work in the remaining ingredients, adding enough liquid to obtain a smooth elastic dough; knead it until it no longer sticks to the work surface, bubbles appear on the surface as you kneed it, and it is smooth and elastic.
Shape the dough into rings about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter and as thick as your finger, and put them in a draft-free warm place to rise until they have doubled in volume.
Bake them for 20-30 minutes in a moderate (350 F, 175 C) oven.
Crumble the yeast into some of the water and add sufficient flour to make a soft starter loaf; put it in a floured bowl in a warm place, cover it, and let it rise until it doubles in volume, about a half hour.
Sift the remaining flour and work in the remaining ingredients, adding enough liquid to obtain a smooth elastic dough; knead it until it no longer sticks to the work surface, bubbles appear on the surface as you kneed it, and it is smooth and elastic.
Shape the dough into rings about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter and as thick as your finger, and put them in a draft-free warm place to rise until they have doubled in volume.
Bake them for 20-30 minutes in a moderate (350 F, 175 C) oven.
