The Startup Cook – Garlic Biscotti 

I have an Achilles heel for pasta. Thus given my recently allocated leisure time, I have returned to the task of making pasta on a regular basis. And everyone knows that where there is pasta there is of course garlic bread. However due to my unhindered enthusiasm for the Italian based cuisine, I have taken the liberty of experimenting with the typical form of Garlic Bread which led me to this crunchy little delight.

Borrowing essential elements of regular a Biscotti recipe, I have converted a generally sweet recipe in to savoury one. It perhaps takes a little more effort to produce (than garlic bread), but its delicious level makes it all worth it.  It’s crispy and power house garlic flavour is the perfect compliment for your plate of pasta.

It doesn’t necessarily have to compliment the food on your dinner plate. This savoury Biscotti makes for the ideal appetiser or snack food.

Ingredients 

1 ¼ cups of flour
20-25 cloves of garlic
50g of parsley
3 eggs
½ tsp of baking powder
Oregano
Salt
Pepper

Directions 

Pre heat the oven to 160 Celsius.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl.

Peel the garlic cloves, and using a pestle and mortar pound it to pulp. Set aside a teaspoon of the pulp.

Wash, and fine dice the parsley and set it aside.

Add the baking powder, a teaspoon of salt, oregano, a dash of pepper to the flour and mix it gently.

Add the chopped parsley and pounded garlic to the flour mixture.

In a separate bowl, whisk the three eggs and add it to the flour mixture.

Add the teaspoon of remaining garlic, a teaspoon of salt and dash of pepper to it.

Using a hand mixer, whisk all the ingredients for few seconds until the batter has formed.

Dip your hands in a little bowl of water and form the batter in to a nice polished loaf on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 35 minutes and let it cool for about 15 minutes.

Start cutting the log diagonally in to thick slices and placed them (cut side up) on the baking sheet.

Reduce the heat to 150 Celsius and bake for about 20 – 25 minutes.

Disasters, Warnings and Tips 

There is something therapeutic about pounding those garlic cloves.

Serve this delicious biscotti with some freshly made pasta.

Do not over whisk, the loaf will crack.

Feel free to increase the amount of garlic cloves you using.

Yay! Nigella Lawson has a new book coming out - #SimplyNigella.

Salt is vital for this recipe.

You get about 8 - 10 Biscotti with this recipe.

The biscotti must be crispy. Hence it is not for those with a wobbly tooth.

By Shazzana Hamid