Passover pistachio sandies

 

I forgot to post this during Passover, but it’s a keeper for next year! I adapted this recipe from its original, created by Gina de Palma in her fabulous dessert cookbook, Dolce Italiano, which called for 2 cups of all-purpose flour; instead I used 1 cup of matzah cakemeal and 3/4 cup of potato starch. I also substituted margarine for the butter that the original called for. The results were fabulous - these tasty bites were gobbled up quickly. These sandies taste great with a cup of coffee or tea. Enjoy, even if it’s not Passover (just use 2 cups of flour instead)!

Passover pistachio sandies

1 cup matzah cakemeal

3/4 cup potato starch

1 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios

1 cup margarine, softened

1 1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

freshly grated zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 x 18 pan, line it with parchment, then lightly grease the paper, with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, starch, and salt. Set aside. Place 1/2 cup pistachios in your food processor and process for 30 seconds until coarsely ground. Stir the ground pistachios into the flour mixture.

Cream the margarine with 1 1/4 cups sugar in your electric mixer, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon zest.

Then, on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients, making a soft dough. Spread the dough evenly in the pan and smooth the surface. Coarsely chop the remaining pistachios in your food processor and sprinkle them over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar evenly over the nuts.

Bake for 35 - 45 minutes, until the dough is firm and turning golden brown at the edges. Let the pan cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before cutting the sandies into rectangular bars. Store the cookies in an airtight container. Makes 24 - 36 bars.