Jam-Filled Mezzaluna Cookies Recipe

In a bowl, whisk the pastry flour with granulated sugar. Add the butter and, using a pastry blender, fingers, or 2 dinner knives, blend the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Sprinkle on the vanilla and knead gently until a dough forms. Pat the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until thoroughly chilled.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and refrigerate. Cut the dough into 4 pieces.

Working with 1 piece at a time and leaving the rest in the refrigerator, roll out the dough to ⅛-inch thick on a lightly floured work surface. Using a 4-inch round biscuit cutter, stamp out as many rounds as possible; gather and reserve the scraps.

Brush the edges of each round with some of the egg white. Spoon 1 rounded teaspoon of jam onto ½ of each round, leaving a ¼-inch border; fold the other ½ over to enclose the jam.

Using the tines of a fork, press the edges together to seal. Transfer the mezzaluna to one of the chilled baking sheets, spacing them 2-inches apart.

Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of dough and filling, then repeat with the gathered scraps. Refrigerate the mezzaluna for at least 10 minutes.

Brush the mezzaluna with egg white, sprinkle with granulated sugar, and top with a generous sprinkling of sliced almonds.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve.