Saccottini Pugliesi (Pugliese Sandwich Cookies)

• canned chick-peas, drained↗1⁄2 cup
• chestnut honey↗2 tablespoons
• unsweetened cocoa powder↗1 1⁄2 teaspoons
• cinnamon↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• salt↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• pine nuts, minced↗1 1⁄2 tablespoons

  minced

• unbleached all-purpose flour, for dusting↗

  for dusting

• sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed (from a 17 1/4-ounce package)↗2 sheets

  thawed (from a 17 1/4-ounce package)

• large egg, lightly beaten↗1

  large, lightly beaten

• confectioners' sugar, to taste↗

  to taste

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 375°F In a food processor or blender, purée the chickpeas with the honey, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the pine nuts.

2. 2

   On a lightly floured work surface, lay out the puff pastry sheets. Using a 1½ inch round cookie cutter, cut out 64 rounds. Place a teaspoonful of filling in the center of half of the rounds. Sandwich with remaining rounds.

3. 3

   Using your fingers, gently press the edges of the rounds together to seal in the filling (as cookies bake, parts of the edges will open). Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using the tines of a fork, prick the tops. Brush tops with the egg and bake until golden, about 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.