Savory Brutti Ma Buoni Recipe
In this week’s video recipe, Foodie Sisters in Italy Valeria and Benedetta prepare their family recipe for the savory version of classic brutti ma buoni cookies. Although the name means ‘ugly but good’, these cheese snacks are much more delicious than they appear and take just a matter of minutes to make.
Traditional brutti ma buoni are a sweet cookie made with hazelnuts, egg whites and sugar, commonly found in Rome and central Italy. This recipe imitates the appearance of the sweet version but uses savory ingredients to create moreish, tangy, bites perfect to serve with a glass of wine for aperitivo.
The procedure itself is as simple as it gets; just throw all the ingredients into a bowl and mix into a dough. The addition of baking powder will encourage the mixture to expand as they cook, creating the misshapen appearance of the original. It is a good idea to use a kitchen scale to weigh each individual cookie before baking as this will ensure that they are all of uniform size and shape as they expand.
The recipe below is a blank canvas and, while absolutely delicious just as it is, you can also let your imagination run wild and add other ingredients and flavors such as olives, sausage, pancetta, herbs, and spices to personalize your very own ‘ugly cookies’ just the way you like them!
Brutti Ma Buoni Salati
500g all-purpose flour
100g Pecorino Romano, grated
100g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
150ml extra virgin olive oil
250g milk
15g baking powder
Salt
Black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and season with a pinch of salt and a generous grind of black pepper.
Pour in the milk and olive oil and mix well with a spoon or spatula until the mixture forms a dough. Knead together gently with your hands.
Weigh the dough into pieces of about 12-15g and shape each one into a ball with your hands.
Place onto a greased baking sheet and cook for approximately 20 minutes.
Buon appetito!
