Filomena was older than my mom who was born in 1939, so let’s say she came into the world circa 1930. She was American born but her parents immigrated to America from Italy after they married. Why so specific? She married a man who parents did the same, so they their offspring were full Italian, if you’re counting. Filomena’s oldest child is my child’s grandfather on her other side. Whew. Anyway, I want to get a count of Italian authenticity to the recipe. FYI, anise is the authentic flavoring added, but generally I use vanilla.

Chocolate Chip Almond Biscotti

1 cup whole almonds, toasted

1 cup butter, 2 sticks

6 egg yolks, use whites for another recipe

1 whole egg

1 pound turbinado sugar, plus extra for sprinkling on top

1 1/2 pound flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon anise oil or vanilla if anise isn’t for you.

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven 375 degree. Toast almonds until they have some color when you break one open. Chop coarsely. Cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer until the sugar no longer looks gritty. Add the egg yolks and whole egg. Add the flour and baking powder. Mix. It will make a dry looking dough. Add the anise, or vanilla, chocolate chips and almonds.

Tip out onto 2 parchment lined cookie sheets. Divide the dough between the sheets and using your hands form into a smooth long, flattened rectangular log. Brush with some egg white, then sprinkle with turbinado sugar. In the pictures I used giant sugar crystals* because I ran out or turbinado.

Bake 20-25 minutes. The edges will look brown, the middle still soft to the touch. Cool for 10 - 15 minutes, but while still warm, but cool enough to touch, cut into slices, about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick. Set on cookie sheet, trying to keep them upright, and bake an additional 15 minutes.

*Giant sugar crystals is a secret weapon I have in my pantry to make ho-hum cookies look like something professional. You can use Giant Indian, or coarse crystals for example.