The word Biscotti in Italian is the plural form of biscotto. It applies to any type of biscuit that is a very dry and hard cookie. The word originates from the medieval Latin word biscoctus, which means that the biscuit had been baked twice. That is why it is very dry and could be stored for long periods of time. Pliny the Elder once boasted that the biscotti would be edible for centuries. Such nonperishable food was particularly useful in the past on long journeys and wars, and twice baked breads were a staple food of the Roman Legions. Later, the word was imported into the English language as biscuit. Although in English it does not refer specifically to a twice-baked cookie like the Italian.
Biscotti usually contain nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, pine nuts etc and spices. Recently I had even had one that has white chocolate. Some of the more popular spices include anise and cinnamon or glazed with chocolate, yum!
Since biscotti is very dry, it is traditionally served with a drink, which it could be dipped in such as coffee, tea or hot chocolate. In Italy biscotti is served with vin santo. In North America they are usually dipped in coffee. In Spain biscotti is commonly served with a small glass of a sweet dessert wine such as muscat or moscatell.
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