Brutti ma buoni

Brutti ma buoni are crunchy and chewy Italian cookies believed to originate from Gavirate, a small city north of Milan. The first recipe was supposedly created in 1878 by Costantino Veniani, a pastry chef and owner of Pasticceria Veniani, a pastry shop.

The name of these cookies reveals all – although they are visually unappealing, the cookies taste great, hence their name which can be translated as ugly but good. They are typically made with egg whites, almonds, butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.

In Tuscany, the cookies are usually made with hazelnuts instead of almonds. The concoction is baked until it becomes dry and firm, and the cookies are then left to cool down a bit before consumption. Brutti ma buoni are especially popular at festivities and during the holiday seasons.