Sicilian Christmas fig-cookies great depression cooking with Clara

 

Recipe:
Cucidati Cookies (Sicilian Cookies by Clara)

FILLING

Boil 2 cups of water and add 1/2 cups sugar. Let cook.

3/4 cups shelled hazel nuts
1/2 cups shelled almonds
1/2 cups shelled walnuts
1/2 cups shelled pecans

Toast all nuts on cookie sheet separately (different nuts take different times to toast).

Grind together with nuts:
1/2 lb. diced candied fruit
1/4 lb. dark raisins
1/4 lb. light raisins
1/4 lb. dates (pitted)
1 orange with rind
1 dried tangerine with rind
2 lbs. figs or (2 packages or atleast 14 oz. apiece)

Mix well all the ground ingredients.

Add 1/2 or 3/4 of the cooled sugar water to make a nice soft mixture (be careful not to make it too soft).

Save the rest of the sugar water mixture.

Add 1/2 cup whiskey to ground ingredients.

Mix well and let stand overnight. Keep in a fridge or cool place.

You may need to add the sugar-water the next day.

DOUGH

10 cups flour
1 lb lard
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup cold milk
2 heaping table spoons baking powder
1 table spoon vanilla
12 eggs

Work flour and lard like you would pie crust.

Melt sugar in milk.

Beat egg and add vanilla.

When flour and lard are mixed well, add baking powder, then add the other ingredients and mix until you have a nice liable dough.

Let stand at least one hour, or this can be made the day before. Cover with a clean dish towel and put in the fridge or a cool place.

Roll dough.

Fill with filling (you can use a pastry bag). Cut and bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 until golden brown.

If you like icing, mix milk, powdered sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla (preferably white vanilla). Brush on cookies and sprinkle with little colored candies.

COMPLETE INGREDIENT LIST

-Flour
-Lard
-Sugar
-Milk
-Baking Powder
-Eggs
-Powdered Sugar
-White Vanilla
-Little colored candies for topping
-Filbert nuts (or Hazel nuts)
-Almonds
-Walnuts
-Pecans
-Candied fruit
-Dark raisins
-Light raisins
-Dates
-1 Orange
-1 Tangerine rind
-2 packages of figs or at least 14oz. apiece
-Whiskey

Clara’s Official Website: www.welcometoclaraskitchen.com