Sift together flour and baking powder on a board, form a pile with high sides.

Add to the center of the pile the eggs, sugar, oil, anisette and vanilla extract.

Start kneading with your hands; when the dough has formed a soft mass, add the whole lemon zest.

Continue kneading until you get a soft, compact cookie dough that does not stick to your hands anymore.

Put the cookie dough in the fridge for 15 minutes at least.

Meanwhile, turn on the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Take the cookie dough from the fridge and form the cookies, into the shapes you like. Just take care that every cookie has a uniform thickness, little less than 1 inch.

The typical Italian Easter cookies shapes are braided buns. I also choose to make doves. Doves are obtained by two nuts of dough: from the first you have to shape a "U" (the dove's wings), put it on the baking sheet. From a second cookie doughnut form a cylinder to be placed on the "U", to form the body. Slightly pinch with your fingers the ends of the dove's body, to give shape to its head and tail (see photo below).

Brush the biscuits with milk and decorate with colored sugar sprinkles.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the Italian Easter cookies surface is lightly browned.

Let the cookies cool completely then serve.