Zaleti Recipe (Venetian Cornmeal Cookies)
Experience a piece of Venice in the comfort of your home with these Venetian cornmeal cookies, locally known as 'Zaleti.' Excellent with coffee or tea; you will surely keep reaching for another piece!
Servings: 24
Calories: 122kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter (113 grams), unsalted & softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 medium egg yolks
- 4 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 lemon, grated zest
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 & 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
Preparing Venetian cornmeal cookie dough:
- Using a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter and sugar; and mix until it becomes creamy.
- Add the egg yolks and continue mixing.
- Add milk, vanilla extract, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt, then mix until thoroughly combined.
- Add raisins and mix with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
- Add flour and cornmeal and continue mixing with a spatula or wooden spoon until you start to form a dough.
- Transfer it on top of a flat surface and use your hands to form a ball (or disc) of dough.
- Wrap dough with plastic and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preparing & baking zaleti:
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Unwrap the dough and divide it into four equal portions.
- Start forming the zaleti by rolling each portion into a 9-inch log, then use your hands to flatten the top into a width of 2-inches.
- Cut into diagonal cookie shapes of about 1 & 1/2 inches each.
- Place each cookie on top of a baking tray lined with a baking sheet, keeping at least an inch of space between each cookie.
- Place the tray of zaleti in the oven for about 15 minutes or when their edges are slightly darker.
- Set aside to cool.
- Serve your Venetian cornmeal cookies with a dusting of powdered sugar, if preferred.
Video
Notes
- Cook's Tip #1: Don't forget to add the raisins before the flour and cornmeal. It helps soften the raisins instead of soaking them in water for a few minutes before combining them with the cookie dough.
- Cook's Tip #2: You can skip the chilling of the dough if you think it's not that difficult to handle. Conversely, if you think it's still too soft for you to cut the cookies, put them back in the refrigerator to chill.
- Cook's Tip #3: You can cut the cornmeal cookies into a circle if you want. Although traditionally, zaleti cookies are cut into diagonal (diamond) shapes.
- Recipe Variation #1: Currants can be used instead of raisins.
- Recipe Variation #2: Soaking the raisins in liquor (like grappa or rum) is quite common. Make sure you drain the raisins before combining them with the rest of the ingredients.
Nutrition
Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 62mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 154IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg