Birbanti

Name: Birbanti
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 22
Ingredients: Egg whites 0.4 cup; Sugar ¾ cup; Type 00 flour 1 cup; Cinnamon powder 1 pinch; Lemon peel 2; Fine salt 1 pinch; Pine nuts 2.1 oz

it es de fr br

Lactose Free
Vegetarian

Difficulty: Very easy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Makes: 22 pieces
Cost: Very low

PRESENTATION

Birbanti brings a crispy bite and a tender middle, straight out of Umbria, right to your kitchen table. These Umbrian biscuits really stand out because of how the pine nuts, cinnamon, and fresh lemon come together. Seriously good stuff. Each bite feels warm and a bit nostalgic. Folks in central Italy have enjoyed these cookies for generations, and you can see why—each one has a nice golden crust on the outside, with the softest center that almost melts as you eat it.

And look, the way the traditional flavors shine through gives you a real sense of Umbrian food, especially when you think about how well these biscuits sit alongside other local favorites like cannelloni or bandiera. Even with all the new food trends out there, birbanti still get made by families who want something that feels special but isn’t a hassle to put together. Pretty simple, right?

People usually grab a plate of birbanti for a laid-back afternoon snack or to finish off a meal with something sweet and just a little tangy. These cookies are, truthfully, so easy to share—set them out with some coffee or tea, and they disappear fast. The pine nuts give each bite a nice crunch, while the lemon and cinnamon keep things interesting and fragrant. In a lot of Umbrian homes, birbanti show up at gatherings where folks want to remember the old recipes and pass them down.

It is that feeling of eating something your grandparents might have made, right in the middle of a busy day. Even though people in Umbria have tons of choices when it comes to desserts, these biscuits never seem to fade from the scene. They’re really really timeless. There’s just something about that balance of moist center and crispy shell that keeps people coming back for more. So when you want a snack that brings real Umbrian taste and a bit of history to the table, birbanti always does the trick. They are a tasty way to connect with the rich traditions of Italy while savoring something utterly delicious.

How to prepare Birbanti

To prepare the rascals, grate the zest of 2 lemons. Then whip the egg whites with 1/4 cup of sugar taken from the total amount 1. Mix the remaining sugar with the flour 2, the cinnamon 3.

1/4 cup of pine nuts 4 and the salt 5. Add the grated lemon zest 6 and mix.

Gradually pour this mix into the whipped egg whites 7, stirring gently to prevent the mixture from deflating 8 9.

Take a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; take a teaspoon of dough at a time 10, and with another spoon, help distribute it on the baking sheet, spacing each heap a few inches apart 11 12.

With this dough, you will get about 22 cookies. Sprinkle them with the remaining pine nuts 13. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 20 minutes, on the middle rack. Once ready 14, let them cool on a rack before serving your rascals 15.