NuM NuM

Lobster and I were having friends over and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to make these biscottis. I love anything remotely close to the bread and cheese family so I was really excited about making them. After reading over the recipe, I realized it was a lot more tedious then I had hoped so I wanted the end result to be worth it. Alas, while these did taste good and I'm glad I got to knock a recipe off my "TO DO" list, the effort far exceeded the results. While they were tasty, they weren't earth shattering or made me want to do the happy dance - and I was so looking forward to oooohing and ahhhing about them to you. I wasn't super excited probably because they reminded me of a Cheez-It cracker and it seemed like way too much effort to make a gourmet cracker. I think if it took half the time to make them, I would've been more excited. Although, I'm glad I made a large amount so I can snack on them all week or freeze for another time. But if you have a lot of time before a dinner party these would be great to serve as appys for a cheese and wine party b/c they were great with prosciutto and spread with.......yes, a little more cheese :)

Parmesan Black Pepper Biscotti
Adapted from Gourmet

Makes 5 to 6 dozen biscotti.

1 1/2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (2 1/4 cups)
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk

Special equipment: an electric coffee/spice grinder

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Pulse peppercorns in grinder until coarsely ground.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, 2 cups cheese, and 1 tablespoon ground black pepper in a large bowl. Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk 3 eggs with milk and add to flour mixture, stirring with a fork until a soft dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and quarter dough. Using well-floured hands, form each piece into a slightly flattened 12-inch-long log (about 2 inches wide and 3/4 inch high). Transfer logs to 2 ungreased large baking sheets, arranging logs about 3 inches apart.

Whisk remaining egg and brush some over logs, then sprinkle tops of logs evenly with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and 1/2 tablespoon ground pepper. Bake, rotating sheets 180 degrees and switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until logs are pale golden and firm, about 30 minutes total. Cool logs to warm on sheets on a rack, about 10 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

Carefully transfer 1 warm log to a cutting board and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices with a serrated knife. Arrange slices, cut sides down, in 1 layer on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining logs, transferring slices to sheets. Bake, turning over once, until golden and crisp (biscotti must feel hard and solid), 35 to 45 minutes total. Cool biscotti on baking sheets on racks, about 15 minutes.

Do ahead: Biscotti keep in an airtight container at room temperature 2 weeks.