Salame el Cioccolato

For someone who loves chocolate as much as me, there’s never any hesitation when it comes to trying out a new recipe. But I’ll admit that the name of this one put me off- chocolate salami?
Fortunately, my grandmother reassured me, salami played no part in this. The combination of nuts and chocolate (some like to add raisins, orange zest, and liquor, but we kept it simple) when sliced into thin medallions, only looked like salami, hence the name.
I still wasn’t convinced, but I changed my mind after tasting it. It’s a typically Italian recipe; very simple ingredients with a fantastic result, and the thin, almost papery chocolate medallions are full of flavor. I’ll definitely make this again (it takes mere minutes) and next time, I’ll include a couple of exotic additions. Orange liquor?

one bar of 15 oz. dark chocolate
1 scant cup sugar
one package of ground almonds
water

Break the chocolate into small pieces and put in a bowl.
Pour boiling water over chocolate, then keep completely still for a couple of minutes.
Test the chocolate to see if it’s melted by sticking a knife in- if it comes out clear, it’s sufficiently melted. Otherwise, leave it in for a few more minutes.
When it’s melted, pour off most of the water leaving only a tablespoon or so in with the chocolate.
Mix the chocolate and remaining water together until smooth.
Add the sugar and almonds (separately) mixing well after each addition. The chocolate will now be thick.
Cut squares of baking paper and place a large spoonful of chocolate in the middle. Using the baking paper, shape the chocolate into a roll, then refrigerate until hard, a couple of hours.
When hard, cut into thin rounds.