The pistachio tea leaf cookies from Zafferana, like the almond tea leaf cookies, are traditional Sicilian cookies — delicate, very thin biscuits born from a fluid batter similar to that used for homemade ice cream wafers. In the oven the batter spreads slowly, creating irregular, lightweight shapes. In these cookies the knife-chopped pistachios remain visible, giving them a fragrant, delicate aroma. Golden at the edges and paler in the center, the Zafferana tea leaf cookies are dry pantry cookies, perfect with tea, a sweet wine, or served as a dessert at the end of a meal. A simple recipe made with basic ingredients that tell the story of Zafferana Etnea pastry-making and home kitchens. Today we’ll prepare the tea leaf cookies together — you’ll see the pistachio biscuits from Zafferana are simple to make, very tasty, and, like the originals, crisp and delicate. Follow me into the kitchen and let’s shape these thin pistachio cookies together. Before we start, if you want to stay updated on all my recipes, you can follow my Facebook page (here) and my Instagram profile (here).
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients to make Zafferana pistachio cookies
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup + 2 tsp water
- 4 tbsp (1/4 cup) unsalted butter (or neutral vegetable oil)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 packet vanillin (vanilla flavoring)
- 1 pinch salt
- 3.5 oz (about 3/4 cup) pistachios
- 2 oz egg white (or about 2 tbsp + 2 tsp water to adjust the batter)
Tools
- Bowls
- Parchment paper
- Oven
- Rolling pin
Steps to make Zafferana pistachio cookies
Before you start working with the dough, a clarification is in order.
Among the ingredients you’ll find egg white or water. Originally I prepared the tea leaf cookies using egg white, but over time, due to an egg intolerance in a family member, I chose to remove it and simply adjust the batter with water.
The result was surprising: even crunchier, lighter and more fragile cookies — since then this has become my definitive version.
Spread the pistachios on your work surface and, calmly and using a sharp knife, slice half of them into thin flakes.
Coarsely chop the remaining pistachios into a crumb. Avoid using pre-ground pistachios, as you would lose aroma.
In a large bowl pour the sugar, add the water and whisk until the mixture is uniform. Add the warm melted butter and continue whisking. Gradually add the sifted flour, working slowly with the whisk until you obtain a smooth, lump-free batter. Stir in the vanillin, the sliced and chopped pistachios, blending them evenly into the batter. Adjust the batter by adding the egg white little by little or a little water.
Using a spoon, place small amounts of the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them well apart. Spread the batter to form thin discs (if too thick they will become chewy after baking).
Bake in a preheated conventional oven (no fan), on the middle rack, at 356°F for 20 minutes or until the edges turn golden and the centers are slightly amber. Once out of the oven, lift the tea leaves while still warm and place them over a rolling pin or a curved surface to give them a delicate, slightly arched shape. Work quickly, because once they cool you will no longer be able to shape them.
Let them cool completely; they will become crisp and ready to be enjoyed on their own, with a good sweet wine, or with a steaming cup of tea.
Storage notes and tips
These Zafferana pistachio cookies keep best in a tin box or an airtight container at room temperature for several days, preserving their fragrance and crunch.
Important tip: work the batter calmly and drop it by spoonfuls well spaced apart, because during baking it tends to spread a little. This is what gives the cookies their thin, irregular shape, typical of the tradition.
You can replace the nuts with pistachios or hazelnuts, obtaining pistachio or hazelnut tea leaf cookies.
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