La cucina di Nicola: Amazing brownies

"La cucina di Nicola" is open! We are making brownies today, chewy, spongy, chocolatey brownies.
When my husband was a child, he used to bake brownies at home (Did I say that Colombians don't bake? My mistake!) and bring them to school to sell to his classmates. He went to an all boys school in Bogota, I so admire his entrepenurial spirit! He tells of the many times when the teacher would call him up to the board to answer a question, and he could only watch in disbelief while his so-called friends raided the brownie bounty. He did not get discouraged though, he even made some money from his little business (it is the Paisa in him -inside Colombian joke, sorry!)
Today, in honor of his dad, Nicolas is making brownies -It is "la festa di San Giuseppe" or Saint Joseph day's today. In other words today is Italy's father's day celebration... you know with Joseph being the step-father to Jesus and all.
I do not want to brag, but these are great brownies!!! Really good!!!
So, without more interruptions, we give you:

DAD'S AMAZING BROWNIES



340 gr (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate
225 gr (1 cup) butter
5 eggs
500 gr (2.1/4 cups) sugar
15 ml (1 tbs) vanilla
140 gr (1.1/2 cups) flour
1.5 gr (1 ts) salt
170 gr (1 cup) chocolate chips, optional

Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F) and grease a 22x33 (9x13) baking pan

Melt butter and chocolate over very low heat, set aside. On a bowl mix eggs, sugar and vanilla, beat on high speed for about 8 to 10 minutes. Mix with the chocolate mixture until completely incorporated.
On a smaller bowl sift the flour and the salt together. Add the flour a little at a time to the chocolate-egg mixture, and incorporate.
Add the chocolate chips (or toasted walnuts, if preferred) and mix well.
Pour mixture into the greased pan.
Bake for about 35 minutes, no more! Do not overbake!
Cool and enjoy!