I have tried many shortbread recipes before, none quite making the status of go to or keeper, that is until now. This recipe, from King Arthur, is now my official 'keeper go to' shortbread recipe. It is simple to make, very flavorful, melt in your mouth delicious. And you can easily jazz it up to suit your tastes. Look how easy.. buy this.. 
preheat your oven to 300, grease 2 9" round cake pans, line with parchment also if you'd like. Now add 2 sticks room temperature butter, 1 cup confectioners sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract in your mixer at medium speed.
Then beat in your 2 cups King Arthur unbleached all purpose flour. It may seem dry at first but keep beating and it will come together. 
You may add up to 1 tablespoon water if u need to, it is a stiff dough. Divide dough in half and press each half into prepared pans, using your fingers or mini rolling pin. 
Use a fork to prick the dough all over to let steam escape.
Bake the shortbread until its a light golden brown across the top,and deeper golden brown around the edges, bout 30-35 minutes.
Remove from oven and immediately turn out onto work surface. Using a pizza wheel 
or sharp knife cut into 12 equal wedges. (FFH graciously cut the wedges for me.. note the big thumb) Do while its warm or it wont cut easily. My wedges are rustically uneven.. 
Transfer on rack to cool. These are delicious.
You can jazz it up with drizzles of melted chocolate, caramel, or both.
You can spread with jam and crumble some of the shortbread over.
Fabulous quick divine treat. Try this today!!
But you can not take shortcuts, you must do it the Nonni's way.. Remember Nonni? If not, read 
shown here in a previous post. Grab a couple of gorgeous eggplants,
peel and slice them thinly. Soak them in some cool water, laced with salt. 
Nonni had said this was to take out any bitterness.. I just listen to Nonni. Squeeze them, lay them on paper towels, 
and prepare your flour and eggs. Whisk a BUNCH of eggs in a large bowl, place a bunch of flour in a paper bag or ziploc bag, throw in some salt and pepper. Meanwhile begin heating up some vegetable oil in a frying pan. Till its sizzling. Dip your eggplant slices one by one into the flour
then the egg, and place in hot oil. 
Fry for a couple of minutes on each side till lightly browned, LIGHTLY!
Drain on paper towles in single layers. 
Repeat with all slices. To make the dish, layer some gravy in the bottom of a baking dish, bout 9x13. Layer one layer of eggplant, overlapping slices at edges. 
Layer mozzarealla cheess slices on top
More gravy. Then freshly grated locatelli cheese. 
Repeat layers two more times. I find 3 layers to be perfect. Be generous with the gravy. Ready to go into the oven. 
Bake at 350 till heated through. Freezes well for up to one month. Again, one of my most requested dishes. 
It is delicious. 
Family favorite. 
Layers of utter deliciousness. 
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