Tegole Valdostane

Name: Tegole Valdostane
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Valdostana
Ingredients: 80 g Toasted hazelnuts; 80 g blanched almonds; 140 g caster sugar; 60 g Plain flour; 3 large Egg whites; 50 g Unsalted butter; 0.5 tsp Vanilla extract; 1 pinch Fine sea salt

Tegole Valdostane are crisp, wafer-thin nut biscuits made from hazelnuts and almonds, curved gently to resemble traditional Alpine roof tiles.

🇮🇹Italy· Aosta Valley

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 40 min
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 230 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

80 g Toasted hazelnuts — skins removed
80 g blanched almonds — untoasted
140 g caster sugar — fine
60 g Plain flour — sifted
3 large Egg whites — at room temperature
50 g Unsalted butter — melted and cooled
½ tsp Vanilla extract — pure extract
1 pinch Fine sea salt — to balance sweetness

Equipment

•Food processor
•Baking trays
•Baking parchment
•Palette knife
•Rolling pin

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 230 kcal
fat: 12 g
carbs: 26 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 4 g
calories: 230 kcal

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan) and line two large baking trays with baking parchment.
2
Pulse the hazelnuts, almonds, and half the caster sugar in a food processor until very finely ground.
3
Tip the ground nuts into a mixing bowl and whisk in the remaining sugar and sifted flour.
4
Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a separate bowl until frothy but not stiff.
5
Gently fold the frothy egg whites, melted butter, and vanilla extract into the dry ingredients to form a smooth batter.
6
Spoon level tablespoons of batter well apart onto the trays, spreading each into a thin, even circle with a damp spoon.
7
Bake one tray at a time for 6 to 8 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the centres remain pale.
8
Immediately lift each hot biscuit with a palette knife and lay over a rolling pin to curve into a tile shape.
9
Allow the biscuits to cool completely on the rolling pin until rigid, then repeat with the remaining batter.

Chef's tips

Bake only four to five biscuits at a time on each tray. If they cool before shaping, they will crack rather than curve; return them to the warm oven for thirty seconds to soften if needed. Ensure the batter is spread as thinly and evenly as possible for an authentic, delicate snap.

Ingredient substitutions

blanched almonds → an equal quantity of extra toasted hazelnuts for an all-hazelnut biscuit
plain flour → fine white rice flour for a gluten-free variation

Storage

Store the cooled biscuits in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to one week to keep them crisp.

Reheating

Tegole are served at room temperature and do not require reheating.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Baking too many biscuits at once, making it impossible to shape them before they harden.
•Spreading the batter too thickly, which results in a chewy cake rather than a crisp biscuit.
•Grinding nuts without sugar, which causes them to release oils and turn into paste.

Serving suggestions

Serve with a hot espresso or a cup of Valdostan spiced coffee (caffè alla valdostana).Pair with a glass of sweet regional passito or Génépy liqueur after dinner.Serve alongside a bowl of rich dark chocolate mousse or vanilla gelato.