Amaretto Cookies

1 1/2 cups sugar
3 (7-ounce) tubes almond paste
1 tsp grated lemon or orange zest
4 egg whites
2 TBS confectioners' sugar

Spray baking sheets with no-stick cooking spray and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine sugar, almond paste and orange zest using an electric mixer. Add the egg whites and beat until totally combined and smooth. Dough should be soft. Using a pastry tube, pipe 1/2-inch dots of dough 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. If you don't have a pastry tube or prefer not to use it, you can shape the cookies by using 2 spoons to make scant 1 TBS mounds of dough on the baking sheet.

Bake 10 minutes or until golden and set. Let sit on pan 5 minutes to cool. Remove to wire racks. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Makes 40 cookies using spoons; about 200 cookies using a pastry bag.

from Sal Annino of Gran Forno bakery in Ft. Lauderdale