Brutti ma buoni are not ordinary nut meringues. The important step happens before the oven, when the hazelnut meringue is stirred over low heat until it thickens into a spoonable paste.
We use Gusta chopped hazelnuts so the texture stays coarse and uneven in the right way. The cookies should look rustic, with cracked tops and chewy centers. Origin stories move between Piemonte, Lombardia, and Toscana, but this version follows the hazelnut lane.
Set servings and units first. You can change them anytime.
Heat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Beat the egg whites with the salt until foamy. Add the sugar in three additions and keep beating until the meringue is glossy and holds firm peaks.
Fold in the vanilla and Gusta chopped hazelnuts. Keep the mixture coarse; do not grind the nuts into flour.
Transfer the mixture to a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a beige paste that pulls from the side of the pan.
Spoon rough mounds about 1 1/2 in wide onto the prepared sheet. Leave the shapes uneven.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the cookies are dry on the outside and lightly cracked. They should not brown deeply.
Cool completely on the sheet before lifting. Store in an airtight tin once fully cool.
You made Brutti ma Buoni. Time to eat.
A new recipe in your inbox each month. No noise.
The drying step is done when the mixture holds ridges from the spatula. If it still slumps like soft meringue, cook it a little longer before shaping.
Each Gusta product is hand-selected and imported direct from Italy. Add what you need, or grab the whole set in one click.
Six Italian regions. Nothing reformulated. Imported direct.
No comments yet. Be the first.