Italian Easter Cookies
Cookie Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Glaze and Sprinkles:
1¾ cups confectioners sugar
Juice of 1 lemon (about 4 tablespoons)
Pinch of salt
1-2 tablespoons of milk
Pastel colored sprinkles
Directions:
1. For the cookies: whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl
2. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment
and beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to low
and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition until totally combined, about 1
minute. Add the vanilla and lemon zest and mix to combine. Turn the mixer off and scrape
down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula then add all the flour mixture. Mix on low
speed until everything is well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary,
making sure not to overmix. Cover and refrigerate until the dough in completely chilled, at
least two hours up to overnight.
3. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Line two
baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly flour a clean work surface. Scoop out 1
tablespoon of dough and roll it into a rope, about 5-6 inches long. Tie it into a loose knot
and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. If the knots start to get
warm, refrigerate until firm about 10 minutes.
4. Bake on the upper and lower racks until the tops of the cookies are dry and set and the
bottoms are golden, rotating the backing sheets front to back and switching rack positions,
halfway through, about 15 minutes total.
5. For the glaze and sprinkles: whisk together confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, salt and 1 tablespoon of milk in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon of milk if needed – the glaze should be the consistency of heavy cream.
6. Place the sprinkles in a small shallow bowl. Once the cookies are cool enough to handle, dip the tops in the glaze, letting any excess run off, then dip in the sprinkles. Transfer the cookies, glazed side up, to a wire rack and let cool completely. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Latkes With Horseradish
Ingredients:
1½ cups sour cream
2 tbsp chopped chives, plus more for garnish
1 tbsp. prepared horseradish, plus more to taste
2½ lbs russet potatoes, peeled
1 yellow onion, peeled and halved
1½ tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup matzo meal, plus more as needed
2 cups canola oil
Flaky sea salt, for serving
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 300°. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, chives, and horseradish. Add extra horseradish to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. On the large holes of a box grater, shred the potatoes and onion. Add the potatoes and onions to a strainer set over a large mixing bowl, and add the salt. Let the potato-onion mixture rest for 10 minutes, then ring out as much liquid as possible. Put the mixture in a clean dish towel and ring again to get them even drier.
3. In a separate large mixing bowl, add the eggs, matzo meal, and potato mixture. Combine thoroughly and add more matzo meal as needed to bind.
4. In a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until it reaches 325°. Scoop about ½ cup of mixture from the bowl, and add to the pan, flattening with a spatula. Repeat with another ½ cup scoop. Add as many latkes to the pan as you can, making sure they all have 1 inch around them to prevent any steaming. Cook, flipping once, until both sides have browned, about 2 minutes per side. If the latkes are burning reduce heat.
