pugliese sandwich cookies

saccottini pugliesi

32 cookies

• ½ cup drained canned chickpeas
• 2 tablespoons chestnut honey
• 1½ teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1½ tablespoons pine nuts, minced
• Unbleached all-purpose flour for dusting
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry (from a 17¼-ounce package), thawed
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a food processor or blender, purée the chickpeas with the honey, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the pine nuts. 

On a lightly floured work surface, lay out the puff pastry sheets. Using a 1½-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 64 rounds. Place a teaspoonful of filling in the center of half of the rounds. Sandwich with remaining rounds. Using your fingers, gently press the edges of the rounds together to seal in the filling (as cookies bake, parts of the edges will open). Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using the tines of a fork, prick the tops. Brush tops with the egg and bake until golden, about 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.