Pistachio butter cookies

Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Servings: 7 dozen

Note: From pastry chef Jonna Jensen of Josie Restaurant in Santa Monica

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 3/4 cups raw, shelled and unsalted pistachios, finely ground in a food processor (scant 2 cups ground)

3/4 pound (3 sticks) butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder, then add the ground pistachios and set aside.

2. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until the mixture becomes pale yellow and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and continue to mix. The batter should be very light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture all at once and mix just to incorporate.

3. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe the dough into small rosettes onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden and just lightly browned around the edges, about 14 to 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Each cookie: 65 calories; 1 gram protein; 5 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams fiber; 5 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 11 mg. cholesterol; 18 mg. sodium.