Bistefani Krumiri Classic Biscuits (300g)

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Their goodness, my friends, is legendary, and their history – along with that of their name – is very interesting indeed.

Fold in the dough over the filling, patting it together as you go and sealing the filling inside, then pat out to just under 25cm. Wipe out your frying pan, then gently lift the naan into it. Even more artfully, when all the dough has been used up, form the 'canelli' into half moon shapes 'appena accennata'. How to Enjoy Krumiri Meanwhile, for the sauce, put a large shallow casserole pan on a medium heat. Peel and finely chop the ginger and garlic, and place in the pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring regularly. The recipe Ivonne posted comes from a book called Italian Baking Secrets, written by an Italian priest; I modified it to reduce the amount of butter and sugar slightly. If you want to make ridged ones, make sure you use a professional-grade piping bag and tip that won’t burst and poop out on you. I’m just saying.Krumiri are a kind of biscuit which is regarded as the particular delicacy of Casale Monferrato, the city in north-west Italy where they were invented in 1878 by the confectioner Domenico Rossi. They are made without water from wheat flour, sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla, in the form of a slightly bent, rough-surfaced cylinder. This handlebar shape is said to have been chosen in honour of the extravagantly moustachioed Victor Emanuel II, the first king of united Italy. [1] [2] Nothing new, but the secret is in the proportions and, of course, in their iconic shape. If you are not familiar with them, let me introduce you to a quintessential krumiro: three inches or so in length, dark, golden color, ridged surface, shaped like a wide-set V letter or, according to who knows best, like the iconic handlebar mustache of Vittorio Emanuele II, first King of Italy. And it makes a lot of sense because the royal had died the same year Rossi and his friends came out with krumiri in an alcoholic daze: tell me you cannot picture a bunch of merrily intoxicated men trying to shape a cookie like the mustache of a just-deceased king… Krumiri were created to be the ultimate dunking cookie: coffee, tea, milk, wine, they are perfect with everything (Photo: Oxana Denezhkina/Dreamstime)

Squeeze ridged tubes at least 2”-3” long directly onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then bend them slightly into the traditional shape. On the veg front, use what you’ve got, potatoes, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, aubergine, even chunky mushrooms would work. Mix the butter with the powdered sugar and egg yolks, then add the flour and cornmeal, a pinch of salt and the seeds scraped from the vanilla pod. Blend into a stiff dough. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Like the King’s moustache

If you share my cornmeal enthusiasm, consider trying my go-to recipe for shortbread, or these violet cornmeal macarons. Krumiri' was the name of a bedouin tribe who rescued a caravan of Europeans lost in the desert. The bedouins also carried with them a mysterious balsamic elisir. Cornmeal is one of my sirens, and I find it particularly beguiling in baked goods*. This is the only way I can explain such a short TTO (time to oven) for this cookie recipe, which I chanced upon last week on Ivonne’s fine blog, Cream Puffs in Venice. This mixture should be further mixed with 4 egg yolks and the butter, then worked to form a decent dough in the shape of a ball. As soon as it starts to colour, stir in the mango chutney. Let it sizzle for a minute, then pour in the tomatoes, breaking them up with your spoon. As soon as they start to bubble, add the coconut milk. Bring it to the boil, then turn off the heat.

To have official sign of krumiri’s existence, however, we have to wait until 1884 when they receive an award at the Esposizione Generale Italianain Turin. Six years later, the mayor of Casale Monferrato officially recognizes them as the invention of Domenico Rossi and mentions their ingredients: eggs, butter, sugar, and vanilla. Leftover curry paste? Mix a little with natural yoghurt for a speedy dip to eat with poppadoms. Or add some to a tray of roasted veg for beautiful flavour. Casale Monferrato is mostly famous in the rest of Italy for two reasons, one of which is unfortunately a sad history related to an asbestos factory, "Eternit". The other reason, thankfully, are the delicious krumiri biscuits which were invented here (there's a whole legend connected to this, and an anthem, and lots more!) and are still produced in the small but successful family-run business in via Lanza, in the town centre. Domenico Rossi first developed the recipe in 1878 and the best 'krumiri' are still darkish in color and contain no preservatives whatsoever - www.krumirirossi.it. In the sauce, feel free to use passata in place of the tinned tomatoes, or you could even add roughly chopped fresh tomatoes. And, if you’ve haven’t got coconut milk, try using regular milk instead.

The tradition continues

Niente di nuovo, ma il segreto sta nelle proporzioni e, naturalmente, nella loro forma iconica. Se non li conoscete, lasciate che vi presenti un krumiro per antonomasia: circa tre centimetri di lunghezza, colore scuro e dorato, superficie rigata, forma di una lettera a V larga o, secondo chi ne sa di più, come gli iconici baffi a manubrio di Vittorio Emanuele II, primo Re d’Italia. E ha molto senso perché il sovrano era morto lo stesso anno in cui Rossi e i suoi amici hanno proposto i krumiri in stato di ebbrezza alcolica: ditemi se non riuscite a immaginare un gruppo di uomini allegramente ubriachi che cercano di modellare un biscotto come i baffi di un re appena morto… Wash the parsnip, carrots and butternut squash (we’re leaving the skins on). Quarter the parsnip lengthways, remove the fluffy core and chop into bite-sized chunks (about 2cm), adding to the tray as you go. Trim the leek and quarter lengthways, wash, finely slice and add to the pan, followed by the spinach. Stir regularly, until dark, dry and intense, then remove and leave to cool.

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add the vanilla and mix again. Cook the naan at the bottom of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp on the outside, fluffy in the middle. If you haven’t got any mango chutney, try apricot jam and some spices from your store cupboard, such as ground cumin or coriander. Pour the flour into a large bowl with a pinch of salt, make a well in the middle and add 1 mug (300ml) of water (using the same mug you used to measure your flour, a regular cup is fine) and 1 tablespoon of oil. Use a fork to gradually mix the flour into the liquid, until it gets too hard to mix.

Next, divide the dough into two pieces. Pull into a sausage shape, the place inside a piping bag with a star shaped nozzle.