Zaletti: Polenta Cookies w/ Currants

These are right up my alley.
Not too sweet, easy to bake and great with coffee.

They are called Zaletti, a popular Venetian cookie made with polenta.
I looked thru many recipes, but I liked David Lebovitz's adaptation of Carol Field's recipe from her book The Italian Baker, best.

This is a no brainer recipe, even the non-bakers can do it in no time (like me).

I added the zest of an orange, but otherwise followed the recipe.
The nice texture of the polenta with the sweet currants made them special.

Zaletti: Polenta Cookies (adapted from David Lebovitz and The Italian Baker)
makes a lot

3/4 cup dried currants, or finely chopped sour cherries or raisins
2 tablespoons flour

5 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup polenta, or fine ground cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt



In a small bowl, mix the currants w/ the 2 tbsp of flour and set aside.

Cream the butter with the sugar and add the eggs and vanilla.

Mix the dry ingredients and add the butter mixture incorporating it to make a cookie dough.

You will want to chill it for an hour, so wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the fridge till ready to use.
If you are not going to make the cookies right away, you can roll the dough into 2 cylinders and freeze them for another day.

You can use the slice and bake method, or drop them by tablespoonfuls. These cookies will not spread, so you can put a lot on the cookie sheets. Am I making sense?

Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 325F for 10-12 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack right away. They stay for about a week in a tin, and stay nice and crisp.

The perfect breakfast treat!



Enjoy!