Amaretti di Carmignano

Amaretti, the famous Italian almond cookies are so popular in their homeland that almost every region has their version of the recipe, using different proportions and combinations of the basic ingredients: sweet and bitter almonds, apricot kernels, eggs, and sugar. Tuscany's version is known as amaretti di Carmigiano, also known as amaretti di Fochi (which is the name of the bakery in the town's main square where they can be bought). Made with egg whites, sugar, and both sweet and bitter almonds, they are soft, imperfectly shaped, and smaller than other varieties, with a typical amber color and strong almond aroma.