Anginettes
I’ve always loved these cookies, but never knew the Italian name. I always call them Lemon Knots. I was so happy when my friend Meg dropped a few on my porch as a quarantine treat that I had to ask her for the recipe. She told me it was an old recipe handed down to her from her Nonni Debiase and was happy to share! Here is Meg’s grandmother Natalie Debiase on her wedding day in 1921. Wow, I just realized…this photo is almost 100 years old!
Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
1 stick butter, softened
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp. orange zest
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
Zest of one lemon
6 cups all-purpose flour
6 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
Icing
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
6 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
Method
In the bowl of a mixer, beat shortening and butter until fluffy. Add the sugar, mix well and then add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Add the juices and zests and combine well. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and soda. Add the dry ingredients a cup at a time to the mixing bowl and “beat until you can’t anymore” (Nonni’s words). Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. On a greased cookie sheet place a rounded ball approximately a tablespoon in size 2 inches apart. Nonni’s recipe reads to roll a piece of dough into a 3 inch rope and twist the two ends over the middle. I opted for the quicker ball version because my dough was a little sticky to work with. Bake until very lightly browned for about 15 minutes. Let cool before icing.
To make the icing combine the confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice and melted butter in a bowl. Dip the top of the cookie into the icing. I took the liberty of adding sprinkles. If you like a thicker icing, simply add more confectioner’s sugar, thinner, add more juice. Enjoy!
