Rame di Napoli

Rame di Napoli, or “Naples’ Ribs,” is a classic Italian cookie with roots in the vibrant culinary traditions of Naples. A city renowned for its rich pastry heritage. The cookie’s name, “rame,” translates to “ribs” in English. Referring to its unique, ribbed shape that mimics the texture of a ribbed piece of metal. The exact origins of Rame di Napoli are somewhat unclear, it is believed to have been crafted by Neapolitan bakers in the 19th century. This was during a time when French and Spanish influences were heavily shaping Italian cuisine. These cookies are traditionally made with a dough enriched with butter, eggs, and sugar. Then they are filled with a rich, dark chocolate or hazelnut cream. This creates a perfect balance of flavors and textures. The combination of buttery, tender dough and smooth filling made them a favorite for festive celebrations.

Rame di Napoli is a Italian dessert originating from Catania, often enjoyed during All Souls’ Day. These treats consist of tender cocoa biscuits in an enduring aroma of cloves, cinnamon, and orange, complemented by a luscious dark chocolate glaze and a sprinkle of toasted chopped pistachios.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 30 cookies

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅔ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 4 large eggs
• 1½ cup milk
• 4½ tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• 1¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 orange zest

Glazed

• 4 cups dark chocolate (chopped into pieces)
• 9 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup apricot jam
• 2½ cup toasted pistachios (chopped)

Equipment

• (1 oz) ice-cream scoop

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a spacious bowl, blend together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, cloves, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Integrate eggs, butter, honey, orange zest, and milk into the mixture, and utilize a hand mixer to blend until a consistent, slightly sticky batter is achieved.
3. Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop, carefully place portions of the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for around 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies have taken on a deeper hue. Once they're done, take them out of the oven and allow them to cool.
4. Take the apricot jam and put it in a small bowl. Next, gently brush a thin layer of the jam onto each cookie.
5. Melt the dark chocolate and butter using a double boiler, stirring occasionally, until the mixture becomes glossy and smooth. Once achieved, remove it from the heat. Turn a cookie upside down and dip it into the melted chocolate, ensuring the entire top is coated, and then place the cookie with the dipped side facing up on a cookie sheet. Generously sprinkle pistachios on top. Repeat this process until all cookies have been coated with chocolate and adorned with pistachios. Allow the cookies to rest until the chocolate glaze dries and hardens.

Notes

melting chocolate

A double boiler is a heat-safe glass bowl, that is put on top of a deep pot with about an inch of water in it. When chocolate chunks are added, the heat from the simmering water below them slowly melts them. Make sure the water never boils and that the bowl never touches the water.