Pecan Biscotti

Photo: flickr user tonydolor

Ingredients

1 cup pecans

1 cup all-purpose flour

cup whole wheat flour

cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

teaspoon cinnamon

1 dsh salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 egg whites

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips OPTIONAL

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray non-stick cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Grind pecans in blender or food processor until consistency of coarse meal. Mix 1/2 cup of the ground pecans and remaining ingredients except egg whites and vanilla. Stir in egg whites and vanilla until stiff dough forms.

Sprinkle remaining ground walnuts on lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Use dash of vanilla if dough seems to need extra liquid. Roll each into rope, about 14 inches long and 3/4 inch thick, on walnuts. Place on cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven; cut diagonally into 1-inch thick slices. Reduce oven temperature to 225. Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until crisp.

Melt chocolate on low heat. Place in small plastic bag, cut tiny end off bag. drizzle chocolate on top of cooled cookies for decorative effect.

Discard rest of chocolate. cool cookies until chocolate hardens. Store tightly covered.

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies.