Sassanelli Recipes

SARDINIAN PAPASSINI COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Dilute thawed orange juice concentrate with water.
• Cut butter into flour until texture resembles coarse crumbs. Add walnuts, white sugar, raisins, orange juice mixture, orange zest, and salt; mix together with your hands. Add more flour as needed until dough is not sticky.
• Roll dough on a floured board into a square shape. Cut into diamond shapes or squares. Arrange on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake in batches the preheated oven until edges are golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine powdered sugar and milk in a bowl. Frost cookies and add sprinkles.

HOMEMADE CAVATELLI PASTA

Steps:

• Mix semolina flour and salt in a large bowl or on a marble work surface. Make a well in the center.
• Pour water into the well a little at a time, mixing it with the flour. Add as much water as needed to make a sticky but compact dough.
• Knead dough with your hands by flattening the ball, stretching it, and folding the top towards the center. Turn 45 degrees and repeat until dough is elastic and smooth, but not too soft, about 10 minutes.
• Shape dough into a ball. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before using. If you are using the cavatelli within a few hours or the following day, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.
• Work with one portion of the dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough covered to keep it from drying out. Dust a work surface with semolina flour; roll out the dough to make a rope, about 1/3 inch thick.
• Cut off little 1/3-inch-thick pieces. Press and gently drag the small piece of dough towards you with your index and middle finger. The two sides will curl inwards, leaving hollow spaces.
• Proceed the same way with the rest of the dough. Transfer cavatelli to a floured surface and sprinkle with more semolina flour. Do not overlap cavatelli or they will stick together. Let dry for about 30 minutes before cooking.