A food writer tries many recipes, most of them just once. Even if it is good, there are so many other recipes that must be tried. This one is an exception. Many years ago when I worked for the McKeesport Daily News, Martha Zubritzky of Elizabeth shared this recipe with me. My family liked it so much we keep on making it, year after year.
1/2 pound (1 1/2 cups) blanched almonds
1/2 pound (1 1/2 cups) filberts or hazelnuts
2 egg whites
1 cup sugar
Dash of salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
Toast nuts in 325-degree oven until light brown.
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold in sugar and salt. Fold in nuts. Pour melted butter over bottom of 15-by-10-inch jelly roll pan. Spread nut mixture over the butter.
Bake at 325 degrees until nuts are coated with a brown covering and no butter remains in the pan. Cool. Makes about 4 cups.
The Secret: Dr. Desiderius and Martha Zubritzky traditionally have these nuts at Christmas. But we found they're great after a big Thanksgiving dinner, too.
Woodene Merriman
Thursday, November 18, 1999
