Ugly but Good Cookies (Brutti ma Buoni)

They may not look like much, but they’ve got it where it counts. That’s brutti ma buoni, a satisfyingly chewy, nut-centric Tuscan cookie that translates as “ugly but good.” The folks at Antonio Mattei Premiata Fabrica di Biscotti in Tuscany say they were created there in 1910 by the owner’s wife as a way to use up the crushed almonds and egg whites left behind from making biscotti. Others say the cookies originated elsewhere in northern Italy as a way to utilize the abundance of hazelnuts. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to five days.