Recipe Corner: Fave dei Morti

Most Americans associate the Day of the Dead with Mexico, and pictures of skeletons playing guitars. But the Day of the Dead is also celebrated in Italy on November 2, and these cookies, which may be shaped like fava beans (fave) or imprinted with their shape, have always been made for that special day. When Fabio was growing up, he and his sister would eat a few of these cookies, and leave a few out overnight to please the souls of the dead. When we awoke in the morning, sure enough, the cookies were gone, which they took as proof of a visitation from beyond the grave!

The cookies can be eaten plain or sandwiched together with a bit of jam or melted chocolate. The filling will soften the cookies, so fill shortly before serving. The recipe makes a lot, but the (unfilled) cookies keep very well.

Yields 200 cookies

Ingredients

5 large egg whites

2 ½ cups granulated sugar

4 cups almond flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ cup light rum

2 tablespoons manteca (soft lard), at room temperature

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Procedure

Put the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer, set the bowl over a pot of hot water, and whisk until they are at room temperature. Add about one-third of the sugar to the bowl and attach the bowl to the mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat at medium speed for 4 minutes. Add another one-third of the sugar and whisk for 4 minutes. Add the remaining sugar and whisk for an additional 2 minutes, or until the whites form stiff peaks.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a large rubber spatula, fold in the almond flour, the cinnamon, and the rum, working gently from the bottom of the bowl to the top. When the flour is fully incorporated, add the lard and continue to fold just until it is incorporated.

Line two or more baking sheets with parchment paper.

Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1⁄4-inch plain tip. Pipe 1-inch round cookies that are about 1⁄4 inch high onto the lined baking sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between them. Moisten your finger and make an indentation that looks like a fava bean in the center of each cookie. Dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar and let stand, uncovered, in a well-ventilated area for 45 minutes. The tops will form a slight crust.

Position the racks in the center and lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes, rotating the pans once halfway through baking, or until they form a crisp crust. Let the cookies cool to room temperature on the pans on wire racks. Store in airtight containers for up to 2 days.