"UGLY BUT GOOD" HAZELNUT COOKIES

Provided by Nick Malgieri

Yield Makes about 60 1 1/2-inch cookies

Number Of Ingredients 5

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4 large egg whites
pinch of salt
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups (about 14 ounces) whole hazelnuts, finely ground in a food processor
2 cookie sheets or jelly-roll pans lined with parchment or foil

Steps:

1. Set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
2. Whip the egg whites and salt in an electric mixer with the whisk on medium speed until they are white and opaque and beginning to hold their shape. Increase the speed to medium high and whip in the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, continuing to whip the whites until they hold a firm peak. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the ground hazelnuts.
3. Scrape the batter into a medium saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is heated through, about 8 minutes.
4. Use 2 spoons to form 3/4-inch cookies. Use one spoon to scoop up some batter and the other to scrape it off the first spoon, rounding it somewhat as you do, and drop the cookies onto the prepared pan, spacing them about 1 inch apart from each other in all directions.
5. Bake the cookies until they are well colored and slightly firm, about 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Cool the cookies on the pan on a rack.
Storage: Store the cookies in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.