Sorry that this is late. I have more receipes if anyone is interested... The tradional cookies at Christmas time are: 1. Cookies that look like peaches but are cookies. ie: Breskve 2. Cookies that are cresants that have crushed nuts in them 3. roughly translated "yellow pastry" is a fluffy yellow custard in filo pastry "zuti pašteta" or "krempita" 4. Makovnjaca (Poppy Seed Roll) 5. Angel kisses Angels' Kisses Servings: Makes 6 servings Instead of sandwiching the filling between two cookies as described below, you may want to fold each cookie around some of the filling, taco-style. This can come handy at buffets or in other situations when finger food, rather than knife-and-fork food, is the rule. Ingredients: 4 large eggs 3/4 granulated sugar Grated zest(yellow part only, without the underlying white pith)of 1 lemon Grated zest(orange part only, without the underlying white pith)of 1 orange 5 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 3 large egg yolks 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Vin Santo Malvasia, Verduzzo, or other sweet white wine 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts ( see note) Confectioner's sugar Directions: Preheat the oven to 350F and place one rack in the top third and the other in the lower thid of the oven. In the top of a double boiler or a large heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk 4 of the egg yolks and 3 tablespoons of the granulated sugar together until very smooth and doubled in volume, about 3 minutes. Stir in the zest, remove from the heat and whisk until cool. In a medium-size bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy. Add 5 tablespoons of the remaining granulated sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and continue beating until the whites are glossy and hold stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted. Sprinkle the flour over the yolk mixture and mix gently until incorporated. Add about one fourth of the egg whites to the egg yolk mixture and, with a rubble spatula, fold them in, scraping the egg yolk mixture from the bottom of the bowl over the whites until just a few streaks of white remain. Fold in the remaining whites in the same way. On each of two nonstick baking sheets, or baking sheets lined with parchment paper, form six 3 1/2 inch cicles, using 3 tablespoons of batter for each. (A simple way to make nice, even rounds is to trace six 3 1/2 inch circles onto each sheet of parchment paper. Turn the sheets, marked side down, and use the circles as a guide, pushing the batter to the edges of the circle and smoothing the top flat with a small rubber spatula or icing spatula.) Bake until the cookies are golden brown and very light when lifted from the baking sheet, about 12 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets--rack to rack and back to the front--about halfway through the baking for the even browning. Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. ========================================================== Breskve (Mock Peaches) For the first-timer, making these cookies may prove a challenge. But with it mix of chocolate, coffee, and rum, this beautifully colorful pastry is sure to be a crowd pleaser. 6 1/2 cups flour 1/2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. baking powder 4 eggs 2 cups sugar 2 tsp. vanilla 1 cup oil 1 cup milk 1/2 cup rum 1 cup granulated sugar Filling: centers of baked cookies 3 cups finely baked ground walnuts 1/3 cup cocoa 6 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 cup rum 1/4 cup very strong coffee granulated sugar to coat yellow and red food dye rum (what you do with this is to coat just parts of the outer part of the cookie to give it that "peachy look" Preheat oven to 350F. Sift flour with salt and baking powder. Beat eggs and sugar until very light and fluffy. Add vanilla and oil and half the flour and beat well. Add remaining flour alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. You will have a soft but firm dough. Make small balls with floured hands, or dip a melon baller in flour and make small balls with melon baller. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, until the bottom is golden but the tops are still white. Allow cookies to cool. Hollow out centers of baked and cooled balls; crumble and mix well with ground walnuts, cocoa, sugar, rum, and coffee. Stuff hollowed balls with filling. Join cookie halves to make balls. Place sugar in two small bowls. Add yellow food coloring to one and red food coloring to the other. Mix well. Dip balls in rum, then roll in the colored sugars to give them the color of peaches. ======================================================== Another "peach" receipe: 2 c. sugar 1 1/2 c. vegetable oil 1 c. milk 4 eggs 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. vanilla 7 to 8 c. flour Apricot Filling Red and Yellow-Orange Sugars In large bowl, combine sugar, oil, milk, eggs, baking powder and vanilla. Blend in enough flour to form a soft dough. Roll into walnut size balls and bake on ungreased cookie sheets in 325 degree oven 15 to 20 minutes (cookies will be pale). Cool completely. Scrape out cookies by gently rotating tip of sharp knife against flat side of cookie, leaving shell and reserving crumbs. Fill cookies with apricot filling. Press two cookies together to form a "peach". Brush lightly with additional brandy or water and immediately dip one spot in red sugar for blush, then roll entire cookie in yellow-orange sugar for peach color. If desired, insert a piece of cinnamon stick "stem" through green gumdrop "leaf" into the stem of each peach. Makes 2 1/2 dozen. APRICOT FILLING: 4 c. reserved cookie crumbs 2 c. peach or apricot preserves 1 c. chopped walnuts 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 4 tsp. instant tea 6 tbsp. peach, apricot or plain brandy (instead of using the traditional rum) 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon In medium bowl combine reserved crumbs, preserves, walnuts, cream cheese, instant tea powder, brandy and cinnamon. RED AND YELLOW-ORANGE SUGARS: 2 c. sugar Red food coloring Yellow food coloring To make red sugar: Blend 2/3 cup sugar with a few drops of red food coloring. To make yellow-orange sugar: Blend 1 1/3 cups sugar with 4-6 drops red food coloring and enough yellow food coloring to make a peach color. =============================================================== (quickie american-ized version of peach cookies) Servings: Makes 6 servings Description: Ingredients: 12 amaretti cookies, coarsely crumbled 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened ½ cup granulated sugar, plus more for dipping the peaches 1/3 cup amaretto liqueur or malvasia or other sweet dessert wine 1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted almonds ½ teaspoon unsweetened cocoa 3 large ripe but firm peaches 1 lemon, cut in half ½ cup water Vanilla ice cream, optional Directions: Preheat the oven to 375° F. Place the amaretti cookies in the workbowl of a food processor. Process, using on/off pulses until coarsely ground. Add 4 tablespoons of the butter, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, 2 tablespoons of the amaretto liqueur, the almonds and cocoa and process until finely ground. Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones. Brush the cut surfaces of the peaches with a lemon half and dip them in sugar. Combine the water and remaining 6 tablespoons sugar in an oval 11-inch casserole or 9-inch glass pie plate and stir to dissolve the sugar. Squeeze in the juice from the lemon halves and add the remaining amaretto. Divide the amaretti stuffing among the peach halves, packing it lightly into the cavity and forming a thin, even layer over the cut side of the peach. Arrange the peaches stuffed side up side-by-side in the prepared baking dish. Dot the top of each with about a teaspoon of the remaining butter. Cut the remaining butter into 4 pieces and add to the liquid in the baking dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake 15 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the filling is lightly browned and the juices in the pan are bubbling and lightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove and cool at least 10 minutes before serving. The peaches can be served hot or at room temperature, with vanilla ice cream, if you like. Spoon some of the juices in the baking dish over the peaches and, if serving, the ice cream. ================================================================= Butter Cookies Servings: Makes 4 dozen cookies Description: Ingredients: 1 lb. unsalted butter 1 large egg 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 tsp. baking powder 4 tsp. confectioners’ sugar ½ cup walnuts, finely chopped (optional) 3 ½ cups all purpose flour 1 cup confectioners’ sugar for dusting Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Using an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add egg, vanilla, baking powder, 4 tsp. sugar and walnuts. Add half the flour and mix well. Turn dough unto a board or counter. Knead in the remaining flour until the mixture is smooth and no longer sticky. Divide the dough into quarters. Roll one quarter into a log about an inch in diameter. Cut diagonally into 1 ½-inch pieces. Put the pieces on a lightly greased cookie sheet 1 ½ inches apart. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool, then dust generously with confectioners’ sugar. ====================================================== Makovnjaca (Poppy Seed Roll) Poppy seed roll is a common Croatian desert, which is served at festive gatherings year-round. The roll freezes well and is often kept for unexpected visitors. Perfect served with coffee or tea. Yeast: 1/2 cup sugar 1 Tbsp. flour 1 1/2 cups warm milk 1 pkg. yeast Pastry: 1 3/4 cups pastry flour 1 egg 2 egg yolks 1 cup milk pinch of salt 1 Tbsp. smetana (plum brandy) 2 Tbsp. oil 1/2 cup rum zest of 1 lemon 1 tsp. sugar pinch of salt Filling: 1 1/2 cups poppy seeds 1 cup milk 3/4 cup sugar 5 tsp. raisins 2 Tbsp. rum zest of 1/2 lemon cinnamon 1 egg (for glazing) Preparing the yeast: Put the sugar, 1 Tbsp. flour, and milk (110-115F) in medium bowl; sprinkle over yeast. Cover the bowl and allow the yeast to prove. Advance preparation for the filling: Finely grind poppy seeds and scald them with boiling milk. Clean and wash raisins and soak in rum. For the pastry: Sift flour and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk egg, egg yolks, and milk together. Pour sifted flour into a warmed bowl, make a depression in center and add pinch of salt, the egg/milk mixture, smetana, oil, rum, and lemon zest, working it all together with fingers. Finally, add yeast mixture, mix well, and continue to beat with wooden spoon until dough no longer sticks to spoon or bowl. Remove dough and knead slightly, sprinkle bowl with flour, and replace dough. Cover with clean cloth and leave to rise until double. Preparing the Filling: Combine the cooled poppy seed/milk mixture with other filling ingredients. Making the rolls: Tip the doubled dough onto pastry cloth and divide in half. Roll each half into a rectangular shape and spread the filling across tow thirds the width of the dough. Roll it up like a Swiss roll. Place rolls on a buttered or parchment lined cookie sheet, cover, and allow to rise once more. When doubled, brush with a beaten egg. Bake for 40-50 minutes in oven preheated to 200F. ======================================================== Title: Poppy Seed Kolache Categories: Desserts, Croatian Yield: 60 pieces 3 c Flour 1/2 c Ground almonds 1 1/2 ts Baking powder 1/4 ts Salt 1/2 c Sugar 1 c Butter 1 Egg 1 tb Lemon juice 1 ts Grated lemon peel 2 tb Water -----------------------------POPPY SEED FILLING----------------------------- 1 c Poppy seed 1/2 c Milk 1/4 c Honey 1/3 c Chopped dates 1/3 c Chopped nuts 1 ds Cinnamon Mix the first five ingredients and the lemon peel; cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly. Combine the egg, lemon juice and water to add to the flour mixture. Knead lightly into a ball; divide into 8 parts. Roll out each part on a floured board until it is 1/4 inch thick, then cut into 4 inch square. Spoon about 1 teaspoon Poppy Seed Filling into the center of each square. Bring two ends together to form a cylinder. Pinch together to seal. Place on a greased baking sheet and brush with milk. Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes. FILLING: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan; cook over low heat until thick, stirring often. Cool and it's ready to use. NOTE: Any cooked fruit or jam may be used instead of Poppy Seed Filling. ======================================================== Fruit Jam Tartlet Cookies Servings: 36 Description: Ingredients: 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup sugar ½ teaspoon baking powder 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces, plus more for the baking pan 1 egg yolk ¼ cup ice water, or as needed 1 ½ cups chunky apricot, cherry, peach or plum preserves Directions: Stir the flour, sugar and baking powder together in a mixing bowl. Drop in the butter and toss to coat with the flour mixture. Using the tips of your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until the pieces of butter resemble small corn flakes. Work quickly to keep the butter as firm as possible. Beat the egg yolk and ¼ cup ice water in a separate small bowl until blended. Drizzle over the flour-butter mixture and toss just until you have a rough dough. Don’t overmix. If there are some pieces of unmoistened dough, drizzle more ice water, about 1 teaspoon at a time over the dough and toss lightly to mix. Turn out onto a work surface and knead lightly a few times, just to gather the dough into a ball. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 1 day. Lightly butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Cut off and set aside one-third of the dough. Roll out the remaining two-thirds of the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 9 x 9-inch square. Flour the surface lightly as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, cover the bottom completely and pressing the dough about ½ inch up the sides of the pan. Spoon the preserves in an even layer over the dough. Roll out the remaining dough to a circle about 8-inches in diameter. Cut the dough into ½-inch strips. Form a lattice pattern over the preserves with the strips of dough by arranging half of them diagonally over the filling, then laying the second half of the dough strips perpendicular to the first. Bake until the dough is golden brown, about 25 minutes. remove and cool completely before cutting into 36 squares. Crostate cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. ======================================================== Quince & Apple strudel Servings: Makes 10 servings Description: Ingredients: 1 recipe Strudel Dough 2 tablespoons dark rum 1 lemon ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup fine plain dry bread crumbs 1 ½ cups granulated sugar 1 ½ cup dry cherries 1 ½ pounds tart green apples such as Granny Smith 1 ½ ripe quince Olive oil Confectioners’ sugar Directions: Make the strudel dough and let it rest. In a small bowl, toss the raisins with the rum. Let them stand, tossing occasionally, while preparing the strudel With a fine grater, remove the zest- the bright yellow part of the skin without the underlying white pith-from the lemon. Squeeze the juice from the lemon through a strainer and combine the juice and zest in a medium-size mixing bowl. In a medium-size skillet, melt ¼ cup (1/2 stick) of the butter over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in ½ cup of the granulated sugar and the cinnamon. Add the remaining cup of granulated sugar and the rum and dry cherries to the bowl with the lemon juice and zest. With the paring knife, peel the apples and quince and cut them into quarters. Cut away the seeds and cores and cut the apple quarters into ½ inch thick wedges and the quince in ¼ inch slices. As you work, add the apple wedges to the bowl containing the lemon-sugar mixture to keep them from darkening. Let them stand, tossing them occasionally, until the sugar begins to dissolve and the apples and quince are coated with syrup. Preheat the oven to 450° and brush a large (about 18 x 12-inch) baking sheet with olive oil. Lightly flour a large, smooth wooden or marble surface. With a rolling pin- preferably a long, dowel-shaped pin- roll out the dough from the center to the edges into a very thin rectangle that measures about 36x24 inches. The dough will fight you a little at first, but it will relax more the more you roll it. As it gets thinner, you should be able to pull and stretch the dough gently with your hands to coax it into the shape you want. Don’t worry if the dough tears a little in spots- you can patch it later-or if it doesn’t form a perfect rectangle. Flour the rolling surface and pin lightly as you work to keep the dough from sticking If necessary, turn the dough so one of the longer sides is facing you. Place a kitchen towel or length of double-thick cheesecloth so it is under the entire far side of the dough rectangle by about 4 inches. (This will help you move the strudel to the baking sheet once it is formed.) Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a clean 1 ½ inch wide border on all sides of the rectangle. Dot the breadcrumbs with small pieces of the remaining ¼ cup (1/2 stick) of butter. Arrange the apple mixture in a long mound along the side closest to you. The mound of apples should be about 4 inches wide and as long as the breadcrumb mixture, leaving the 1 ½ -inch- wide border clean. ========================================== Walnut Roll (Orehnjaca or Orehova Potica in Slovenia) - 450g/1lb white bread flour - 55g/2oz castor sugar - 2 packets easy blend yeast - Half teaspoon salt - 6 fl. oz. warm milk - 2 size 2 eggs, beaten - 30g/1 oz melted butter Filling - 140g/5 oz finely chopped (or ground) walnuts - 85 g/3 oz unsalted soft butter - 85 g/3oz Soft brown sugar - 1 teaspoon cinnamon To finish - Milk - 55g/2 oz icing sugar Mix all the ingredients for the dough together and knead well. Cover the dough and put to rise until doubled in size, which should take about 2 hours. Knock back the dough and knead lightly. Divide the dough into two equal pieces; roll each piece into an oblong about 12 inches by 8 inches. Mix the filling ingredients together and divide between the dough, spreading over each piece. Roll up the oblongs as tightly as possible to give two 12 inch sausages. Place these side by side, touching each other, on a greased baking sheet. Cover and leave to rise for about 40 minutes. Heat oven to 200ºC (425ºF). Bake for 30-35 minutes until well risen and golden brown. Bread should sound hollow when the base is tapped. Remove from oven and brush the hot bread top with milk. Sift with a generous covering of icing sugar. ======================================== Cherry Cookies (From Istria) MAKES 4½ TO 5 DOZEN Dried cherries soaked in almond liqueur, and spooned between cookie dough. These are good keepers and can be made 2 weeks ahead. Dried cherries are available in gourmet food shops. Sour cream has been substituted for Italian heavy cream which has a thicker consistency. DOUGH 6 cups King Arthur™ Unbleached, All-Purpose Flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine 2 cups sugar 1 tablespoon almond extract Grated zest of 1 large lemon 1 cup sour cream FILLING 2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) dried tart cherries 1/4 cup Amaretto liqueur Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside. With an electric mixer, cream the butter or margarine, sugar, and extract until light colored. Add the lemon zest and sour cream, and beat until well blended. Add the flour mixture a little at a time, mixing well until a ball of dough is formed. (You may need to finish mixing by hand since this is a heavy dough.) Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for 2 hours. In a bowl, marinate the cherries in the liqueur for at least 30 minutes. In a food processor, blender, or by hand, grind the cherries to a paste and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease 4 cookie sheets. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Working with one piece at a time on a floured board, roll out to an 18-inch circle. Use a 3-inch round or fluted cookie cutter to make circles. Use a 1-inch round cookie cutter to cut out a hole in the center of half the circles. Place about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of each whole circle, spreading it slightly. Top each with a circle with the hole. Seal by pressing all around the cookie with a fork. Transfer to a cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough and re-roll the scraps to make more cookies. Bake cookies for 20 minutes or until delicately browned. Remove the cookies to cooling racks, then store in airtight containers or freeze for up to 2 months. Note: These are great for Valentine's Day too; use heart-shaped cutters. ======================================================== Colored Pizzelle MAKES ABOUT 4 1/2 DOZEN COOKIES waffle-like cookie is made on a pizzelle iron. Standard vanilla- flavored dough; before each little ball of dough is put onto the form, it is coated with multicolored sprinkles. When the pizzelle maker lid is pressed down on the dough, a pretty stained-glass look is created that is unusual and very festive. Chill the dough for several hours before rolling the balls in the sprinkles. Use a non-coated pizzelle iron, as the weight of the lid helps to create a thinner cookie. 3 1/2 cups King Arthur™ Unbleached, All-Purpose Flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 1/4 cups sugar 5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 3 cups multicolored sugar sprinkles In a medium bowl sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well blended. Add the vanilla extract. On low speed, blend in the flour mixture a little at a time until well blended. The dough will be soft. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least 2 hours. (Note: You can make the dough in a food processor, combining the butter and sugar first, then eggs and vanilla, and last the flour mixture.) Heat a pizzelle maker according to the manufacturer's directions. If it is nonstick, spray it with a baking spray or lightly brush with vegetable oil. Pour the sugar sprinkles into a shallow dish. Using 2 teaspoons scoop up a spoonful of the dough, and using the spoon as a guide, roll the dough in the sugar sprinkles, coating it well. Place the dough in the center of the form; if you have a 2-form maker, or 4-form maker, roll the balls first before putting them on the form. Close the lid and latch it for a count to 30. Lift the lid and remove the pizzelle with the edge of a fork and place them on cooling racks in single layers to cool completely. For darker-colored pizzelle hold for a longer count. Continue making pizzelle until all the dough is used. The pizzelle should be thin and have a crisp texture. When completely cool, wrap them in groups of 6 in plastic wrap and place them in airtight containers. Pizzelle can be made ahead and frozen for up to 3 months. ======================================================== Oh! You just also HAVE to make this side dish called gnocchi! :) Gnocchi (Njoki) Yield: 1 batch 2 lb Potatoes; cooked & mealed * 1 1/2 lb Flour 2 Eggs 2 tb Soy oil 1 1/2 ts Salt Mix all the ingredients and roll to about 3 inches in diameter. Cut off a good double-fistful, aobut a forth. On dry flour-powdered surface, roll out to about 3/4 inch round, cut into pieces 1-1/4 inches long. To make interesting pattern, roll the pieces along the underside of a larger grating surface. With finger pressure the piece takes on a shell-like look. Any deep-textured surface, such as a wide mesh colander or sieve will also do. Zagrebcanke shape the pieces in their hands like a large chocolate drop and with the thumb concave the underside. Dalmatinke roll the little pieces in their hands, and fold over, and make 1/2 pretzels (these they sometimes deep-fry and serve with broiled meat). Maintain a flour dusting to your pieces as you work with them. Bring 3 quarts of water, with 2 tablespoons salt, to hard boil. Add about 1/3 of your gnocchi to pot and cook for about 5 minutes. They're about done when they float to the surface. Place in serving dish with a bit of your favorite tomato, spaghetti or meat sauce. Proceed thusly with the other two-thirds of your gnocchi. Serve with your meat and/or sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Editor's note: Branka insists the secret is in the potatoes -- "zuti" thin-skinned yellow (and not necessarily farm-fresh) -- rather than red boiling or russet baking potatoes. Source: Branka Mirkovic ======================================================== Real gnocchi is made with semolina (per my mom) Potato Gnocchi Gnocchi Servings: Makes 4 main course or 8 appetizer servings Description: Ingredients: 4 large, unpeeled Idaho (russet) potatoes, (about 2 ¼ pounds), washed 1 teaspoon salt 2 large egg Dash of freshly ground white pepper 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, or as needed Directions: It isn’t hard to make feather-light gnocchi. The main thing to keep in mind is this: the less flour you add and the less you handle the dough, the lighter the gnocchi will be. The less moisture there is in the potatoes before you start adding flour, the less flour you will need, so the following tips for making light gnocchi all have to do with removing as much moisture from the potatoes as possible: Don’t overcook the potatoes--- their skins will pop open and the flesh will soak up water. Rice the potatoes while they are still quite warm and steaming—rubber gloves help. Spread the riced potatoes out in a thin layer so the steam rising from them has a chance to escape. Once you form gnocchi, they must be cooked or frozen immediately or they turn to mush. To freeze them, pop the tray with the gnocchi on them right into the freezer. When they are solid, scrape them into a resealable plastic bag. Put the potatoes in a large pot and pour in enough cold water to cover them by at least 3 fingers. Bring to a boil and cook until they are tender when pierced with a skewer, about 40 minutes. Lift them out of the water and let stand just until cool enough to handle. The hotter the potatoes are when you peel and rice them, the fluffier the riced potatoes will be. Scrape the peels off the potatoes and rice the potatoes. Spread the riced potatoes out in a thin layer to expose as much of their surface as possible to the air. While the potatoes are cooling, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat. On a cool, preferably marble, work surface, gather the cold riced potatoes into a loose mound with a well in the center. Beat the eggs, 1 teaspoon salt and the white pepper together in a small bowl until blended and pour into the well. Work the potatoes and egg together with both hands, gradually adding as much flour as necessary to form a firm but moist dough. Stop frequently as you mix to scrape up the dough that sticks to the work surface and reincorporate it into the dough. Forming the dough should take no longer than 10 minutes from start to end. The longer the dough is worked, the more flour it will require and the heavier the dough—and the finished gnocchi—will be. As you work, dust the dough, your hands, and the work surface lightly with flour as soon as the dough begins to feel sticky. Cut the dough into six equal portions. Using the outstretched fingers and palms of both hands, roll each piece of dough into a rope about ½ -inch thick. Cut the rope crosswise into ½-inch pieces. Sprinkle the pieces with flour, then roll each piece between your palms into a rough ball. Reflour your hands as necessary to prevent sticking. Hold a fork at an angle to your work surface. Dip the tip of your thumb in flour. Take a dough ball and, with the tip of your floured thumb, press it lightly but firmly against the tines of the fork while, at the same time, rolling it downward along the tines. The dough will wrap around the tip of your thumb, forming a dumpling with a deep indentation on one side and a ridged surface on the other. (You can use the non-grating side of a flat or curved cheese grater for a different effect.) Set the gnocchi on a baking sheet lined with a lightly floured kitchen towel as you form them. Repeat with the remaining 5 pieces of dough. At this point the gnocchi must be cooked or frozen immediately.