Biscotti dei poveri

Biscotti dei poveri are traditional Italian cookies and a classic example of cucina povera. The cookies are usually made with a combination of milk, eggs, sugar, olive oil, pine nuts, raisins, cinnamon, and dry or day-old bread instead of flour. The bread is torn or cut into pieces, soaked in milk until softened, and then processed or mashed until smooth. The eggs and sugar are beaten until creamy and mixed with olive oil, pine nuts, raisins, cinnamon, and soaked bread. The batter is placed into a pan by spoonfuls and baked until golden. Once cooled, the cookies can be enjoyed as they are or stored in airtight containers. There are a few variations on these cookies and they can be enriched with more nuts or grated orange zest.