Einkorn Italian Shortbread Cookies

I once came across a very old recipe for a shortbread cookie from the Italian region of Liguria many years ago. The recipe mentioned only the ingredients however, without exact measurements, as old recipes often do. I recreated the cookie with all-purpose einkorn flour, and it has been a favorite of our family’s for over a decade. These cookies are perfect to have around for snacking, because they taste even better on the days following baking, and they are not made with a lot of butter or sugar. Plain and simple, as traditional Italian baking often is, they are perfectly complemented by the added flavor of einkorn wheat. I always make them when I have company, keeping them in reach to enjoy with afternoon coffee or tea.

Instructions

• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
• Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture is sandy and you can’t get the chunks of butter any finer. Add the egg and mix in just to combine, then gently knead with your hands in the bowl until the dough just holds together when pressed into a ball.
• Roll 1 tablespoon (20g) of dough into a tight ball, then roll into a 4-inch rope, then shape into an S.
• Place on the sheet, spaced 1 inch apart.
• Bake for 22 -23 minutes until the cookies just start to turn lightly golden.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Dust with powdered sugar.

Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.