Desserts »Amaretti di Saronno

amaretti cookieWhen I walked into Rafettos on Houston to grab some fresh angel hair pasta (which would have been wonderful if I hadn't over cooked it), I had no idea that a basket of sweet nostalgia awaited me. I'm not sure why these Amaretti di Saronno cookies played such a large part in my childhood cookie memories, but I vividly recalled the crumbly almond flavor of the two tiny cookies the second I laid eyes on the intricate paper wrapping.

According the PR, their origins are quite romantic too:

According to the Amaretti di Saronno legend, almost three centuries ago, the Cardinal of Milan unexpectedly visited the town of Saronno in Italy. To honor him, two young lovers, Giuseppe and Osolina, quickly baked up a mixture of sugar, apricot kernels and egg whites, creating crisp, airy cookies with an unusual bittersweet flavor which they wrapped in pairs to symbolize their love.

The Cardinal was delighted and blessed the young couple, who married and lived happily ever after. Since 1718 this ancient and secret recipe has been preserved by the Lazzaroni family. Unwrap a legend and begin your own happy ending.

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Posted on February 9, 2009

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