Almond Sweets

Soak the shelled almonds in hot water until the skins soften and come away easily. Drain them when they're manageable, without letting them cool completely: the residual heat makes peeling easier and allows the skins to be removed evenly.

Remove the skins from all the almonds, working gently so as not to break them. Make sure the nuts are completely free of their outer skin, as the skin could impart a more pronounced flavor and uneven color during roasting.

Arrange the peeled almonds in hot oven and toast them until they're dry and lightly golden. Keep a close eye on them: the process is complete when they release an intense aroma and are uniformly colored, with no dark spots that could develop bitter notes.

Combine the flour, sugar, toasted almonds and baking soda, then work all the ingredients until you obtain a smooth dough. Check that the mixture is compact and well mixed, without visible pockets of flour or baking soda.

Roll out the dough until it's about the thickness of your finger. Keep the surface as even as possible, so the cookies bake evenly and the diamonds have a uniform size and consistency.

Cut the rolled out dough into regular diamonds. Make the cuts firmly, avoiding over-pressing the edges: the pieces should retain a clean shape and uniform thickness before being transferred to the baking sheet.

Line the baking tray with tin foil and grease it with lard or butter. Arrange the diamonds on the prepared surface, leaving enough space between each one so they can cook without sticking together.

Bake at a moderate temperature until the "zulli" are golden brown. Check the surface during baking: the cakes are ready when they are evenly browned and dry, with no pale spots.