Cuciadatti Cookies

Sandy Predmore

Cuciadatti Cookies

An old Italian recipe

4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 cups butter
1 tbsp. vanilla
1/2 cups milk
2 eggs

Filling

2 lbs. dried figs
1 lb. pitted dates
1 lb. raisins
1 jar orange marmalade
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 whole orange
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup whiskey (optional)

I chop everything in a food grinder, and cook for about 10 minutes. This makes a lot of filling, so I use what I need and freeze the rest in plastic bags to use another time.

Put dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in butter until it resembles fine particles. Add remaining ingredients, and mix until smooth. Roll dough on floured cloth to about 1/8 inch thickness. Put filing in plastic bag; cut opening, and squeeze a row along right edge. Roll dough over filling to cover. Separate from rest of rolled dough, and cut into 1- or 2-inch pieces on the diagonal. Place seam side down on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Remove from tray, and cool sightly. Brush with a thin confectioner's sugar icing.