Chiara smiled. She was the youngest of the seven remaining nuns, and the only one under seventy. The others called her la piccola fornaia — the little baker. Every Friday, they made semmie de suora : tiny, dry, diamond-shaped cookies flavored only with lemon zest and the barest whisper of anise. No butter. No eggs. Just flour, water, a drop of oil, and patience.
Translated from the Piedmontese dialect, Semmie de Suora literally means “nun’s brains.” Before you scroll past in disgust, hear us out. Like the English dish “Spotted Dick” or the French “Quiche Lorraine,” the name is historical, whimsical, and bears no relation to the actual ingredients. In fact, are arguably one of the most elegant, delicate, and delicious almond-based cookies you will ever taste. semmie de suora