This has been one of the most productive Saturdays I’ve experienced in quite a while. It started out on the wrong foot though. I destroyed my favorite coffee maker because, like an idiot, I forgot to put water in it before setting in on the stove. About 4 minutes later, something that smelled nothing like coffee began filling the air. I turned off the burner, still not sure what on earth could be happening, only to find that the empty coffee maker had gotten so hot that it burned a rubber piece on the inside. And ruined.
Things started to look up after I took Callie the dog for a walk to our local Starbuck’s. The weather was absolutely perfect with blue skies, birds chirping, and a slight, cool breeze. How can anyone be upset when faced with such weather? I can’t!
After purchasing my usual (grande latte) Callie and I headed for home with a new sense of energy and determination to make the most of the day. After doing what felt like a million loads of laundry (which turns out to only be 4 loads, but we have to hang dry everything so it seems like lots more), cleaning the kitchen, living room, dining room, patio, bathroom and rearranging the closets, I felt like I’d accomplished something. While I was working on all of these chores, the smell of olive oil cookies with rosemary filled the air. It was the perfect way to spend an autumn day after a rough start.
I love using olive oil in baking. Since I didn’t have any butter on hand today, this was a great recipe to use. The rustic appearance of the cookies is lovely. Each has their own shape and personality. And they just look homemade, which I adore. Instead of using regular sugar in these savory cookies, I used brown sugar. I also added Piment d’Espelette A.O.C. which was a gift from friends of ours who live in Paris. I’m not sure about the availability of this spice in other places around the world, but if you can find it, you should purchase it right away! It is similar to red pepper flakes, but more delicate and with a smoky flavor that works wonderfully in these olive oil cookies.
The rich and flavorful nature of olive oil helps to add a new texture and taste to cake and cookies. These cookies, made a little richer with the addition of red wine, are a perfect addition to a wine and cheese plate or as a simple side addition to salad or soup. The recipe makes nearly 30 of these little cookies and they will keep for about 5-7 days in an airtight container. So, make a batch and keep them around for the rest of the week!
Olive Oil Cookies with Rosemary & Red Wine (adapted from The New York Times)
Makes about 30 cookies
Ingredients
2 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon Piment d’Espelette A.O.C, smoked red pepper flakes or regular red pepper flakes (optional)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup olive oil, plus a little for cookie sheet
3/4 cup dry red wine
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients. Beat the eggs with the olive oil and wine. Use a rubber spatula to stir the liquid mix into the dry one, just until well combined; if the mixture is stiff, add a little more wine.
2. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet and back 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool a couple of minutes, then remove the cookies to a rack to cool further.
