These Tuscan almond biscuits have been adapted from Baking by Antonio Carluccio - I halved the quantities. The recipe is also influenced by Honey & Co, London where they serve a riciarelli type biscuit studded with juicy pieces of apricot. So I add plumped up dried apricots to this recipe when I have them. I also add tiny chunks of very dark chocolate when I feel like a bite of chocolate. Maya Gold by Green & Black is good.
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Cantuccini
These gorgeous cantuccini are made from a recipe I adapted from Jeremy Lee from when he was at the Blue Print cafe. The recipe appeared in the Guardian in 2000. Jeremy credits his pastry chef 'Andeas' with the recipe which works wonderfully. Cantuccini last for ages in an airtight container and give all of the shop bought ones a run for their money. Traditionally served with vin santo the sweet Italian dessert wine but equally lovely dunked in cappuccino or any dark sweet wine or sherry.
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Polpo - Cichèti
I had taken a fleeting glance of the beautifully drawn octopus on the cover of Russell Norman's Polpo in bookshops but I did not register how good the book was. I had missed the buzz about Polpo, the restaurant, which is easy to do if you live out of London.
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