Recipe

Make Dough

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. With electric spice mill or small food processor, grind 1 cup of pistachios to a fine powder. (Alternatively, hand-chop pistachios; it’s OK if the result is a bit coarse.) In mixing bowl, add pistachio powder and stir in almond flour, granulated sugar, cardamom and sea salt, breaking up any lumps as you go.
3. In separate bowl, whisk egg whites until frothy, then add almond or vanilla extract, if using.
4. Combine dry ingredients and egg whites. Using wooden spoon or hands, keep mixing until slightly sticky dough comes together. You’ll think there isn’t enough liquid, but there is. (Alternatively, pulse dry ingredients and whisked egg whites in food processor to make dough.) Dough may be prepared and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead.

Bake Cookies

1. Form tablespoon-size pieces with dough and roll between palms into spheres. (A good weight for the balls is a half-ounce each.) On small plate, add some powdered sugar, then coat each cookie well with sugar and place about 1½” apart on baking sheets. Push whole pistachio or pinch of chopped pistachio into centre of each ball.
2. Bake just until very lightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. (Cookies are better a bit undercooked; if baked too long, they will harden. As they cool, a thin, crisp meringue-like skin forms, but the filling stays soft and moist.) Remove and cool on rack. When cool, store in airtight tin for up to 1 week.