unoscotto - biscotti that doesn't kill you

TH requested one thing for her cruise, a breakfast biscotti that I first made in 1994 from Martha Stewart living. I managed to get rid of all my magazines and thanks to the internets I was able to find the recipe again.

Its a cornmeal biscotti, great for eating on the go. I remember making this recipe a lot in the 90's (dating myself) and varying the dried fruit and nut mix. This time, TH requested hazelnuts and dried cherries, though I am partial to cranberries. I remember gesticulating with my biscotti in my hand on the way to work and Jacques who was visiting us lurching over the seat and taking away my biscotti. It was basset approved.

This recipe is my kind of biscotti, easy to make and without butter so it is lacks the crumb that some really like in a biscotti, but I dislike. TH also loves it baked once, not twice, which gives biscotti its name - twice baked.

Tonight, I took them out of the oven, she came over and pronounced them done. I cut them with a bread knife and by tomorrow they will be air dried enough to pack in her bag and go off to the far west - nearly the east if you are being technical.

Without further ado, the recipe.

Yield: 7 Dozen

1 ½	cup	All-purpose flour
1 ½	cup	Yellow cornmeal
¾	cup	Light-brown sugar
1 ½	tablespoon	Finely grated lemon zest
2	teaspoon	Baking powder
½	teaspoon	Salt
2	large	Eggs, lightly beaten
1	teaspoon	Vanilla extract
¼	pounds	Whole shelled hazelnuts (about 3/4 C)
½	cup	Golden raisins or any dried fruit

½

cup water

1. Heat oven to 325'. Lightly oil and flour a large baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. 2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt until well blended. 3. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 C water, the eggs, and the vanilla and stir into the flour mixture; the dough will be sticky. Stir in hazelnuts and raisins. 4. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. On a heavily floured work surface, shape each portion into a log about 13 inches long by 2 inches wide. Place the logs 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until logs are firm and golden brown on the bottom, about 45 minutes. Remove logs from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. 5. With a clean serrated knife, cut each log into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. Place the slices in a single layer on a clean baking sheet (you'll probably need to use 2 baking sheets). Bake until tops of biscotti are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Turn biscotti over and bake until golden brown and very dry, about 15 minutes more. Cool the biscotti completely on a wire rack before serving. Store in an air- tight container.

Source: Martha Stewart Living/October/94

Adapted from: www.astray.com