These elegant bow-wow biscotti get a tail-wagging nod. It must be the peanut and bananas, which are right up there with cheese and "new leather shoe" as all-time favorite canine flavors. Look at the ingredients to notice that these sugar-free biscotti also have people appeal.
5 cups flour
1/4 -- 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups pureed bananas
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Water
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and set a rack on the middle level. Have ready one or two ungreased nonstick baking sheets.
Mix the flour, peanuts and baking soda together in a large bowl. Gradually stir in the remaining ingredients, except the water, until lumpy but blended.
Add enough water, a teaspoon at a time, to make a stiff dough. Knead by hand until thoroughly mixed. Or blend everything in a food processor.
For very large biscotti, form the dough into 2 logs, each about 2 1/2 inches high, placing one on each baking sheet. Flatten each log so that it is 6 inches wide and 1 inch high. For medium-sized biscotti, form 4 logs, 2 on each sheet, and flatten each into loaves that are 3 inches wide and 1 inch high.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove to wire racks and let rest for 10 minutes.
Leave the oven on.
Transfer the logs to a cutting board and slice into 1/2-to-3/4-inch pieces. (It's easiest to slice them on the diagonal, using a serrated bread knife.) Return the slices to the baking sheets and bake for about 20 minutes longer, turning once, until they are golden brown.
Cool on racks. Store in a tightly closed tin at room temperature. Makes 30 to 60 dog (or people) biscuits.
Source: The Best American Recipes 1999
Thursday, August 24, 2000
