LEMON WALNUT BISCOTTI

1 cup walnuts                                                                                                                                      

3 ¼ cups flour                  2 ½ tsp. Baking powder

½ tsp. Salt                        3 large eggs

1 cup sugar                      ½ cup butter, melted

¼ cup vegetable oil            1 tsp. Grated lemon peel

2 tbsp. Fresh lemon juice    1 tsp. Anise seeds

1.     Heat oven to 350 degrees with one rack positioned in  center and one directly below.  Toast walnuts and anise seeds just until golden, 4-5 minutes.  Cool and chop together on a cutting board.

2.     In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder & salt.  In a separate bowl whisk together remaining ingredients until smooth.  Stir egg mixture into flour mixture, then stir in nuts & anise seeds.  (Dough will be soft.)  Divide dough in half.  Lightly grease a large cookie sheet.  With lightly floured hands, shape dough on prepared sheet into two 14x2 ½ “ logs slightly rounded in the center.   Bake on center rack until firm to the tough, 30 minutes.  Let cool 5-20 minutes.  Leave oven on.

3.     Transfer logs to a cutting board.  With a serrated knife, gently cut logs on an angle into ½ “ slices.  Lay slices flat on 2 ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake until biscotti are lightly browned around edges, 10 minutes.  Flip biscotti over on cookie sheets, reversing positions when you put them back in the oven.  Bake 10 minutes more.  Transfer biscotti to wire racks to cool.  Makes  3 ½  doz.