Zaletti – Venetian Cookies with Cornmeal 

1️⃣ Soak the Raisins 🍇

✔️ Place the raisins in a bowl and cover with warm water for 10 minutes to soften. (For a richer flavor, soak in rum instead! 🍷)

2️⃣ Prepare the Dough

✔️ Separate the egg yolks from the whites and beat the yolks with sugar using a whisk until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy.

✔️ In another bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, salt, and grated lemon zest.

✔️ Add the soft butter in pieces and work with your hands until you get a crumbly texture.

✔️ Add the egg yolk and sugar mixture along with the well-drained raisins.

✔️ Dissolve the baking powder (or baker’s ammonia) in a spoonful of warm milk and add it to the dough.

✔️ Mix everything until you get a smooth, compact dough.

3️⃣ Shape the Cookies 🍪

✔️ Divide the dough into two logs about 4 cm in diameter.

✔️ Slice into ovals. (You can also roll out the dough and use cookie cutters! 🥰)

✔️ Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking tray, spacing them slightly apart.

4️⃣ Perfect Baking! 🔥

✔️ Bake in a preheated fan oven at 170°C (340°F) for 12–14 minutes, until the cookies are golden and crispy.

✔️ Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack to keep them crunchy.

🍯 Storage & Variations

✅ Storage:
📦 Stays fresh for up to 3 weeks in a tin box! (Perfect for homemade gifts 🎁)

✅ Tasty Variations:

• 🔹 Add toasted pine nuts for a crunchy twist 🌰

• 🔹 Soak raisins in rum or grappa for deeper flavor 🍷

• 🔹 For a more rustic version, try whole grain cornmeal

Have fun baking and… enjoy your cookies! 😋✨