The Romagna’s dead beans are almond pastries with a round, slightly flattened shape that are traditionally prepared on November 1st and 2nd for the commemoration of the deceased.
Found in many regions of Italy, they are made with a base dough similar to that of soft amaretti but flavored differently. In Bologna and Romagna, they are prepared from mid-October onwards and are characterized by the presence of liqueur and anise seeds.
The recipe is very simple, they are prepared quickly and bake in a few minutes, they do not need rest, just let them cool down and they are ready to enjoy.
Today I propose to you one of the three versions by Pellegrino Artusi, slightly modified based on the traditions of our area; they are delicious, the texture is quite firm but the heart is soft and aromatic.
Try other almond recipes:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 26Pieces
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn
- Energy 266.97 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 27.93 (g) of which sugars 14.86 (g)
- Proteins 7.29 (g)
- Fat 15.21 (g) of which saturated 2.79 (g)of which unsaturated 11.79 (g)
- Fibers 3.40 (g)
- Sodium 9.39 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 60 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 7 oz almonds (finely chopped or almond flour)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg (medium)
- 2 tbsp butter (softened or 20 g of oil)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp anise seeds (alternatively lemon zest or cinnamon)
- 2 tbsp anise liqueur (or rosolio, alchermes or other liqueur as you prefer)
- 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- to taste red food coloring
Tools
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Procedure
Chop the almonds in the food processor until you get a flour. Operate your food processor intermittently to avoid heating the nuts and releasing the oils they contain.
Pour them into a bowl, add baking powder, sugar, flour, and mix. Add the softened butter (or oil), 1 egg, anise seeds, and the liqueur. Knead the mixture until you get a soft and compact dough similar to almond paste.
Divide the dough into three parts, add a level teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to one portion to get brown cookies and a pinch of red coloring to another portion to get pink cookies. If you prefer, you can make only the white version.
Make several 3/4 oz balls, place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, and flatten them slightly with the palm of your hand.
Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 338°F for about 10 minutes, they should not brown on the surface but remain light.
The Romagna’s dead beans are ready, remove them from the oven, let them cool, and serve.
Tips
Storage
The dead beans can be stored in food bags or tin boxes for several weeks.
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