Gourmet Italian

photo credit: badlyricpolice

There are many traditional Italian cookies, but it is believed that the lovely pizzelles are the oldest.  The name comes from the Italian word pizze for round and flat.  Pizzelles are thin, waffle-type cookies made with a special pizzelle machine.  Long ago, a family would have an iron with their family crest on it that was held over the fire to bake.  How glad they would have been to have a pizzelle machine where you can make one in under a minute.  Today’s machines usually have two different designs for the front and back – usually a floral pattern for the top and a waffle pattern for the bottom.

photo credit: cursedthing

If you are looking to add some Italian cookies to your lineup this Christmas, why not try these heavenly Rocotta cheese cookies.  Did you know that ricotta is not really a true cheese?  It is actually  a by-product of the cheese making process.  The watery leftover liquid from the making of another cheese is called the whey.  Ricotta actually means “cooked again”.  When the whey is recooked, the final product is ricotta cheese.  Italian ricotta is made from the milk of many different animals, but the American version is almost always made from the milk of a cow.  Italian versions tend to have a nutty, sweet flavor and are more dry than American ricottas.  In Italy, you can also purchase a salty or a smoky version, as well.