Meringues of the Dark Lake

this is an Italian meringue crackly cookie from Pontelagoscuro Italy a small village.

• Ready In: 38 mins
• Yields: 30 cookies

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 tablespoon unsalted butter, for greasing the baking sheet
• 3  tablespoons all-purpose flour, for dusting the buttered baking sheet
• 4  large  egg whites
• 1  cup white sugar
• 2  tablespoons white sugar
• 2⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2  cups  blanched almonds, toasted and chopped

Directions

1. Grease the baking sheet with the 1/2 tablespoon butter and then sprinkle it with the 3 tablespoons of flour and coat lightly and discard the excess.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Fill a double boiler half full of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
4. Using a hand held electric mixette and a metal bowl,(making sure the bowl fits over the saucepot of water) beat the whites to a soft peak.
5. Slowly beat in the sugar.
6. Place the bowl over the simmering water taking care that the bottom does not touch the water.
7. Beat five minutes on a high speed until the whites become thick, shiney, and start coating the bottom of the bowl.
8. Beat in the flour until just blended.
9. Remove from heat, fold in the toasted chopped almonds.
10. Drop batter by tablespoons on to the prepared buttered and floured cookie sheet.
11. Bake thirty minutes, just until a very pale gold colour.
12. Remove immediately to a rack and allow to cool.
13. These cookies are best eaten within a few days, but will keep for a week in air tight container at room temperature.