Biscotti

For most Americans, a biscuit is a small, soft bun that is more of a bread than a pastry. In Italian, biscotto is "a generic term for small, sweet, dry, crumbly and simply made pastries baked at length in the oven." Originally, the biscotto was pane biscotto or "twice-cooked bread," which was usually savory and not sweet. In relatively recent years, the American word "cookie" has been applied to the sweet versions.
Biscuits were and perhaps in some cases still are baked twice. The objective was the elimination of as much moisture as possible, which increased the keeping capacity of the biscuits. These twice-cooked breads were essential provisions for ships on long cruises and their production was centered, therefore, on regions with strong maritime interests like the republics of Venice and Genoa. However, biscuits are such handy items that they can be found in most households in all parts of the country.