These ground almond Panmelati are an adaptation of Lidia Bastianich's Honey Orange Crumb Cookies from her Lidia Cooks From the Heart of Italy cookbook. I was so enticed by her descriptions of Italy and its cuisine watching her television show that I purchased her cookbook the last time I stopped in at Borders. The television episodes feature the same recipes from the book with additional histories. I'd encourage you to watch her show and visit her website. For those of you that love German cuisine you'll catch flavors, words, and food habits in Northern Italy that are similar to food customs in Bavaria.

Honey-Orange Crumb Cookies, Panmelati, are found on page 217, from Lidia Cooks From the Heart of Italy, published by Alfred Knopf, 2009. For those of you that don't want to purchase the book now, you can view the recipe on her website and browse through her other delectable and traditional recipes from Italy.

My adaptation reduces the yield, replaces the breadcrumbs with ground almonds, and adds anise seed. These are soft, crunchy, chewy, and perfectly flavored with orange. Pistachios could be used in place of walnuts.

Ground Almond Panmelati
Yield: 32

2 medium to large oranges, preferably organic
1 cup wildflower honey, local
1/4-1/2 tsp whole anise seed
1/4 tsp lavender
1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup finely ground almonds, freshly ground
1 tablespoon flour (optional, if necessary)

Peel the oranges and cut the bitter white pith away. Keep the peel in strips if you can and chop finely. The finer the pieces the easier it will be to cook them until they are translucent.  Reserve the chopped peel. You'll need about 1/2 cup. Place the honey, anise seed, and lavender in a small to medium sauce pan and bring it to a simmer.  Add the anise seed by rubbing the seeds between  your hands as it drops into the pan. Add the chopped peel and cook until translucent and soft. It will take between 3-5 minutes. You can use this time to grind the almonds.

Add the ground almonds and 1/2 of the toasted walnuts to the honey mixture while still on the stove. Bring back to heat and stir until a soft dough forms, enough to form round balls. If the dough is too soft, add more ground almonds or a tablespoon of flour. I found I didn't need it, but you may if your almonds are too coarsely ground. You don't want to grind them to a flour, but to the size of breadcrumbs. 

Remove from heat and form the dough into truffle size balls. Wash your hands in cold water repeatedly or pat them lightly with oil to prevent sticking. Roll them in the remaining chopped walnuts and set to cool on parchment paper. Enjoy after they have cooled. Store in an airtight container away from sunlight or heat. Refrigeration isn't necessary.