Sgute (Easter Cookies)
Sgute (Calabrian Easter Cookies) are a tradition in most Calabrian households.
Typically, families get together on Good Friday to make their own special version of Sgute. These cookies are crunchy on the outside and soft and crumbly on the inside, making them perfect for dipping into sweet wine or an espresso – and then finishing off with the hard boiled egg placed in the center.
INGREDIENTS
DOUGH
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 whole eggs, room temperature
zest from 1 whole lemon
1 dozen eggs
confectioners sugar, optional
UTENSILS
Mixing bowl
Whisk
Sieve
Knife
Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Flat surface for kneading Rolling pin
PREPARATION
MAKING THE DOUGH
Combine the sifted flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the food processor and pulse for a bit to combine the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into small cubes and add them to the food processor. Pulse until the butter is in small crumbs.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with the lemon zest. With the machine running, add the eggs through the feeder tube. Mix, then pulse a few times until the mixture comes together around the blade. Pinch the dough between your fingers, the dough should hold together easily.
Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Transfer the dough to the plastic wrap and press it together with your hands to form a smooth ball.
Flatten the dough into one or more disks. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 3 days) before rolling. (You can also freeze the dough for up to 1 month.)
SHAPING THE SGUTE
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Sprinkle flour on to a flat surface and place the chilled dough on it. Start kneading the dough, adding extra flour when you need to. Knead the dough for around 5 minutes or until it is no longer sticking to the surface.
Now roll it out into a really thick log, cutting it in half if easier to manage. Using a knife, cut a small piece of dough and roll it out. Get an egg, place it underneath the small log you rolled, in the middle. Wrap the dough underneath the egg until it crosses over, then twist the rest, curling the ends up.
Put a small slit in the ends using a knife or fork, then roll out two smaller snake shapes and create a cross on top of the egg. You can also create another shape, twisting an entire log and then wrapping this around an egg. If you have leftover dough, make up your own shapes.
Place each biscuit onto a parchment-lined baking sheet – not too close together. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, check on them, turn the tray around (if necessary) to cook evenly and leave for another 5 minutes.
The cookies should start to turn a golden brown – don’t overcook them or they will dry out. When you take them out of the oven, sprinkle confectioners sugar (if using) over your cookies and let cool on a wire rack or stone surface if available.