October 4.The feast of St Francis.
St Francis' ardent love of God merited for him the name of Seraphic.
What can we cook with our families on this feast?
Well, tradition holds that on his deathbed, St Francis asked for Frangipane cream or Moastaccioli (almond biscotti).
Desserts! Perfect to cook and eat together!
The book A Continual Feast, by Evelyn Birge Vitz, a great aide to celebrating the liturgical year with food , has this recipe for Moastaccioli:
1 pound blanched almonds (approx 500g)
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon, or 1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
Approximately 1 cup flour
Chop the almonds very fine or coarsely grind in a blender.
In a bowl combine the nuts, honey, cinnamon, and egg whites. Mix thoroughly. Gradually stir in enough flour to form a thick paste.
On a lightly floured surface, knead the paste until smooth and stiff. Roll out to about 1/4 inch. Cut into diamond shapes, about 2 1/2 inches long. Place the diamonds on a lightly buttered and floured baking sheet. Let dry for 1 to 2 hours.
Bake in a preheated 250° F (150 degrees Celsius) oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until set. Do not let brown.
Enjoy with coffee, tea or hot Milo!
Leonie, I think I am going to learn so much from reading your saints' recipes! I might have "A Continual Feast" somewhere. I remember buying it for Andy who loves to cook. He used to make a lot of First Holy Communion cakes and feasts to celebrate special days.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post!