This recipe is from Veneto.
As promised in the last post, here is a recipe for azime dolci, the Venetian jewish cookies I tried in the ghetto at the weekend. Pane azzimo, is the Italian for unleavened bread and these are called azime because they too are unleavened. And like pane azzimo, they are traditionally eaten at passover time when it’s forbidden to eat yeast.
The recipe for azime is quite simple. They are made without water just in case the water and flour start to ferment and cause a natural yeast. So eggs, olive oil, and a little white wine are used to bind the pastry together.
The azime I saw in Venice were shaped with a wooden mould. I used my finger and a form to make the shape of these ones which I think is a good reflection of the ones from the ghetto.
Buon appetito!
Azime dolci
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Makes 10
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
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Ingredients
750g (3 cups) plain flour
300g (1 1/2 cups) sugar
60g (2 ounces) fennel seeds
2 eggs
250ml (1 cup) olive oil
50ml (1/5 cup) white wine
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Method
- Preheat the oven to 180° C (355° F)
- Mix the flour, sugar, and fennel seeds in a bowl until combined.
- Make a well in the middle of the mixture and add the eggs, olive oil, and wine. Stir with a wooden spoon until it comes together in a dough and then bring it together with your hands to form a ball.
- Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it’s about 1cm (1/2 inch thick).
- Cut the dough into circles using a 12cm cookie cutter.
- Flatten the circles with the palm of your hand, prick with a fork, and then make indentations all around the edge of the biscuits with your finger.
- Place on a baking sheet and put in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before serving.