ItalianZaleti
Cornmeal raisin biscuits
Venetian yellow cornmeal biscuits with raisins and lemon
Their name comes from the Venetian word for 'little yellow ones', after the polenta flour that gives them their colour and slightly gritty bite. Bakers in Venice and the Veneto make them all year, though they are especially popular at Carnival, dipped in a glass of sweet wine or eaten with a morning cappuccino. The dough is buttery and lemony, studded with plump raisins. Traditionally the raisins are soaked in grappa or rum; here they are soaked in warm water with a little lemon juice, and the spirit is an option for adults. Chef's tip: use fine cornmeal, not coarse polenta, or the biscuits crumble; and stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears, because overworking makes them dense rather than short.
- Prep
- 27 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Serves
- 12
- Per serving
- 215 kcal
Ingredients
For the raisins
- 2 ⅞ oz raisins
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp grappa or rum (optional)instead of the lemon juice, for an adult version
For the dough
- 4 oz buttersoftened
- 3 ½ oz caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp lemon zestfrom 1 unwaxed lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 ½ oz fine yellow cornmeal
- 5 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
To finish
- 1 tbsp icing sugar (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Cover 2 ⅞ oz raisins with warm water, add 1 tbsp lemon juice (or 2 tbsp grappa or rum if using) and leave to plump for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
10 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line two trays with baking paper.
Step 3: Beat 4 oz butter and 3 ½ oz caster sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in 2 eggs one at a time, then 1 tbsp lemon zest and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
3 minStep 4: Mix 5 ½ oz fine yellow cornmeal, 5 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 1 pinch salt, and fold them in with a spatula until just combined. Fold in the raisins.
Step 5: With lightly floured hands, roll walnut-sized pieces into short logs and flatten each into an oval or diamond about 1 cm thick. Set them 3 cm apart.
Step 6: Bake for 15–18 minutes, until golden at the edges and on the base, firm at the rim but still slightly soft in the middle.
18 minStep 7: Cool on a rack and dust with 1 tbsp icing sugar if you like. They keep for a week in a tin.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 215 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does zaleti take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 27 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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