Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Procedure: Put oven rack in middle position and pre-heat oven to 350°F. Toast hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan until fragrant and skins begin to loosen, about 6 minutes. Rub nuts in a kitchen towel to remove any loose skins and cool to room temperature.
Pulse nuts and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor until nuts are finely ground, then add flour and a pinch of salt, pulsing until combined. Add butter and pulse until dough just forms a ball. Divide dough in half, then roll dough on a work surface lightly dusted with sugar and flour into 2 (11-inch-long) logs (each about 1 inch wide). Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, for one hour.
Cut logs crosswise into 1/2-inch slices and arrange rounds 2-inches apart on two baking sheets. Bake, one sheet at a time, until bottom edges just begin to turn pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies on sheet for two minutes. Place remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in a small dish and dip tops of cookies in it, then cool sugared cookies on a rack.
