Cucidati (Sicilian fig cookies)

Jan. 8, 1987

1/4 pound walnut halves or hazelnuts, toasted (see note below)

1/2 pound dried figs, trimmed of stems, halved

1/2 cup seedless raisins

grated rind of 1 orange

1/4 cup bourbon whiskey

1/2 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoons, plus one teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

multicolor sprinkles, optional

Prepare pastry dough and refrigerate at least 30 minute.

Meanwhile, in a food processor fitted with steel blade or with a food grinder, grind nuts until finely chopped. Add figs, raisins and orange rind yo work bowl or grinder. Process or grind until mixture is coarse and sticks together like a paste. Place fig mixture in a mixing bowl. In another small bowl. whisk whiskey into honey gradually until all of whiskey is incorporated. Stir cinnamon into honey mixture. Add honey mixture gradually into reserved fig mixture. Reserve.

Divide dough into thirds. Refrigerate remaining dough while working with one piece. Dough will be soft and a bit sticky. Roll dough on well-floured work surface to 1/16-inch thickness. Cut dough with a 2 and 1/inch round cutter. Place two level teaspoons of fig filling in center of half the dough rounds. Cover with remaining dough rounds. Press dough edges down around filling and then press with a fork to seal the dough rounds together. Dip fork in flour frequently to prevent sticking. Place cookies on baking sheets.

Bake in a pre-heated, 400-degree oven for 10 minutes, or until bottoms ar golden and tops are set. Remove from oven to cool.

Continue with remaining dough and filling until all cookies are made. Dough scraps can be chilled for 15 minutes and then rerolled.

Prepare icing by combining confectioner's sugar with lemon juice to form a glaze. Drizzle glaze over cookies. Decorate immediately with candy sprinkles, if desired. When glaze sets, store cookies in tin. Makes about four dozen.

Pastry dough

2 and 1/2 cups sifted flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter or margarine

eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. In a small bowl or cup, lightly beat eggs with milk and vanilla. Stir milk mixture into dry ingredients. Turn mixture onto a work surface and knead lightly with hands until dough forms a bail. Chill for 30 minutes.

NOTE: Spread nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in a pre-heated, 400-degree oven for about 10 minutes, until nuts are golden. Remove from sheet to cool If using hazelnuts, rub nuts in a dish towel to remove skins.