St Patrick’s Day Biscotti

This “St Patrick’s Day Biscotti” celebrates with the “wearing of the green”.

The original color associated with Saint Patrick was blue. But over the years the color green and its association with Saint Patrick's Day has grown.  Green ribbons and shamrocks(they’re green right?) were worn in celebration of St Patrick's Day as early as the 17th century.

Saint Patrick is said to have used the shamrock,  to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish, and the wearing and display of (green)shamrocks and shamrock-inspired designs has become a feature of the day in the United States.

Saint Patrick's Day in the United States

Saint Patrick's Day, while not a legal holiday anywhere in the United States, is nonetheless widely celebrated throughout the country. It is observed as a celebration of Irish and Irish American culture. Celebrations include prominent displays of the color green, eating and drinking, religious observances, and numerous parades.

So why not a biscotti to celebrate the day!

St Patrick’s Day Biscotti Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups pistachios
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces white melting chocolate
• Green powdered food coloring

Directions:

1. Place one oven rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare baking sheet by lining with parchment paper or lightly greasing, set aside.
3. Lay the pistachios on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes or until the nuts are lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and cool.
4. In a bowl , beat the butter until light and fluffy, using an electric mixer. With the mixer running, gradually add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla; mix until creamed.
5. In a separate large bowl blend the flour, baking powder, and salt, until thoroughly mixed.
6. Add the egg mixture wet  to the flour, and mix until just blended . Using a wooden spoon, mix in the pistachios until evenly distributed. 
7. Put the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut in half. Roll each half into a log, each 12 inches long by 1-inch high.
8. Place the logs on the prepared baking pan, reshape if necessary , leaving about 3 inches between logs.
9. Place baking sheet in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly brown.
10. Remove from oven and let the logs cool for 5 minutes
11. Move logs to  cutting board and slice each log on a diagonal into 1-inch thick pieces.
12. Place biscotti on their sides, on the baking sheet. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes, turning over half way through the bake.
13. Remove from oven and place biscotti on a cooling rack and cool completely.
14. Melt white chocolate in micro wave or double boiler, add enough green food color to get the shade of green you desire.
15. Dip biscotti in melted (green) white chocolate and place on waxed paper, allow to cool.
16. When cool store in air tight container to maintain freshnes.