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Italian 04

A home-style Italian 04 made with All Purpose Flour, Unsalted Butter At Room Temperature, Sugar, Water, and Vanilla. Keep it handy for the next time you cook it.

Illustrative photo

Ingredients

• 2 cup
• 1 cup
• 1 cup
• 1 tbsp
• 1 tsp
• 1/2 tbsp

Method (preview)

1. 1

   Blend cornstarch, cornmeal, flour and salt in a bowl until well mixed.

2. 2

   Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.

3. 3

   Beat at medium speed with the paddle attachemnt 8 minutes or until pale and very fluffy.

4. 4

   Beat it the eggs one at a time, making sure the mixture is fluffy before adding the next egg.

5. 5

   Then beat in the water, lemon zest and vanilla.

6. 6

   Keeping the speed at medium, beat in about 1 1/2 cups of the dry ingredients until just blended.

7. 7

   Then blend in another cup until barely mixed.

8. 8

   Add the rest of the dry ingredients, along with the raisins and nuts.

9. 9

   The dough will be thick, sticky and soft.

10. 10

    Cover the bowl and refrigerate 30 minutes.

11. 11

    Preheat the oven to 350F.

12. 12

    Use the 1/2 tablespoon butter to lightly grease a 14 by 18 inch cookie sheet.

13. 13

    The cookies will bake in 3 batches.

14. 14

    Drop the chilled cookie dough by teaspoonful onto the baking sheet, spacing them 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart.

15. 15

    Make a crosshatch pattern on top of each biscuit by dipping a fork in a glass of water then pressing the back of the fork gently into the cookie dough, flattening it slightly.

16. 16

    Wet the fork again and press it into the dough at right angles to the first impression.

17. 17

    Chill the unused dough.

18. 18

    Bake the biscuits 20 minutes, or until they are pale blond with golden brown edges.

19. 19

    Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, and use a metal spatula to remove the buscuits to a rack to cool.

20. 20

    Drop another batch of the chilled dough by teaspoonful onto the baking sheet and press and bake as before.

21. 21

    Repeat with the third batch.

22. 22

    Make sure the dough is cold when the cookies go into the oven.