The tozzetti, or fettarelle, the traditional trapezium-or-diamond-shaped biscuits, whose main ingredient is the Tonda Gentile Romana DOP Hazelnut from the Cimini Mountains, have been prepared in the province of Viterbo since at least the nineteenth century.
The Tonda Gentile Romana DOP Hazelnut
The DOP Hazelnut is not only used in the preparation of tozzetti, but also in the production of chocolate, nougat and cookies. In the fifties and the sixties, when the hazelnut cultivated area in the Cimini Mountains increased from 2000 to 20000 hectares, the dried fruit became the main agricultural product in the province of Viterbo.
Tozzetti from Viterbo with hazelnuts
These biscuits are consumed at Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and on various celebrations. The Festival of Tozzetto is held in Vetralla in early December to welcome the Christmas Holidays. On the last day of the Feast, the Christmas Parade takes place, together with the awaited competition for the longest tozzetto, which will be included in the Guinness Book of World Records.
These biscuits are better enjoyed after a meal, preferably soaked dessert wines, such as Aleatico di Gradoli Doc.
Here is the recipe…
Ingredients (for 10 people)
Flour 1 kg
Oil 2 dl.
Eggs 6
Sugar 600 gr
Peeled hazelnuts 600 gr
yeast 1 sachet
1 lemon peel
Milk 1 glass (optional)
Preparation
In a bowl, beat the eggs and the sugar with a wooden spoon, then add EVO oil, yeast, grated lemon peel and, if you prefer, milk. Incorporate into the batter the oven-dried, peeled and chopped hazelnuts, and, gradually, the flour. Divide the dough into 2×10 cm round loaves, place them in a greased baking pan, and sprinkle with flour. Brush the dough with beaten egg and bake it over a moderate heat. Once removed, cut the loaves, still warm, crosswise into 2 cm pieces and put them back in the oven till they get toasted and crispy. Store the biscuits in tin or glass jars.