To make the batter beat the eggs and sugar in a ceramic bowl (in Abruzzese dialect, you call it vazzìa). Slowly beat in the Olive Oil. No electric mixer is required: you just need the big fork that is usually used for pasta (a forchettone).

Maria always adds either lemon zest or anise to her pizzelle batter at this stage to make them even tastier (use only one of these at a time), adjust to suit your personal taste.

Slowly sieve (setaccio) the combined flour and baking powder into your egg mixture and beat well to get plenty of air into the mix. Grandmother’s make this seem very easy but expect your wrists to begin aching after 5 minutes or so!

Lay the cooked pizzelle on the table as they will dry faster.

If you want to fill a pizzella do this whilst it is hot and then roll it up. If you do it cold they will break! Fill with grape jam like the Abruzzese sugarless Scrucchijata or with chocolate nut cream (the one everybody knows).