Amadeus Cookies

This year I decided to learn more about baking with nut pastes...pistachio, almonds and hazelnuts mostly. This cookie is my first foray into the world of pistachio.

I came across this recipe from the Demel pastry shop in Vienna and varied it just a bit to fit what I had in the pantry. The cookie is a simple shortbread that is rolled about 1/8" thick and then baked until slightly golden around the edges. For the filling, the traditional combination is of almond paste seasoned with ground pistachios. Well, I had no pistachios and no almond paste, but I did have pistachio paste, so I forwent the almonds altogether and used the paste for the entire base. The paste is then flavored with kirsch and vanilla.