These pine nut-laden plain cookies are molto Italiano--delicately crisp and inundated with the heady, piney scent of pignoli. No one will guess they are made with refrigerated dough. They are very attractive when dusted with confectioners’ sugar while they are still slightly warm.
Heat the oven to 325°F. Coat a cookie sheet with baking spray, or line it with a sheet of parchment or a silicone baking sheet, such a Silpat sheet.
Combine the egg white and almond extract in a small bowl. Form the cookie dough into 40 balls. Coat the balls one at a time with egg white and dredge in the pine nuts until each cookie is completely coated with nuts. Fill in any bald spots with nuts by hand, and place the cookie on the cookie sheet. Continue making cookies with the rest of the dough, placing the balls about 1 1/2 inches apart. You will have enough dough to make about 3 batches. Bake until the cookies are golden brown and the nuts have just begun to color, about 15 minutes. Cool on the pan for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack with a small spatula. Keep tightly covered.