Occhi di bue, literally named “bull’s eyes” for their generous, round shape, are enormous sandwich cookies, so big you need both hands to hold them. They are a reassuring constant in any pastry shop or café in Italy, winking from the bakery counter with their hearts of jam or chocolate.
Whenever my mum and I visited my grandfather Remigio in San Gimignano, a hill town southwest of Florence, we would stop at our favorite pastry shop for a cappuccino and a few chats with the locals, and I was allowed to choose something sweet from the counter. Whether still-warm rice pudding tartlets or occhi di bue, a treat made with pasta frolla was always a must.
