Whether you call them Cucidati, Sicilian X Cookies, or just plain Italian Fig Cookies, the end result is the same. Tender sweet dough, that's wrapped around a very flavorful spiced fig filling.
This is a favorite in many Italian households, and hands down, this is my hubby and his brothersfavorite cookie! I think it's mostly nostalgic, because it reminds them so much of their mom, in fact they call them "Moms cookies". Weeks before, my BIL will call me and plead " Are you gonna make mom's cookies this year? Let's make mom's cookies! What do you need? What should I buy? We'll help you! Normally their idea of helping is spending 5 minutes in the kitchen then popping a DVD in, and every so often I would hear one of them say, "How's it going up there? "Got any done yet?" Well this year I decided to call their bluff and said I would make them if they help. I think they now have total appreciation for all the work that goes into it!
To make these, you need to set aside the whole day, it's very time consuming especially if you triple the recipe, which we did. You can however, make the dough and the filling a day ahead of time which I will do next year.
I decided to use Nick Malgieri's recipe ( link below) which is so similar to my MIL's. The only thing I omitted was the chocolate in the filling, my MIL never put chocolate in hers. The dough is tender, and easy to work with, and a breeze to make in the food processor!
For the filling, some of the ingredient's are, golden raisin's, candied orange peel, toasted and chopped almonds.
Apricot preserves, dark rum or brandy, instant espresso, cinnamon and cloves.
I made my BIL chop up the figs. Nice job UJ!
All the ingredients get whirled together in the food processor and the end result is a thick and flavorful fig paste!
The dough and fig paste gets divided up equally.
One at a time on a floured surface, you flatten each piece of dough and roll it out into a rectangle 3" x 12" long. Next, roll your fig paste into a log, lay the log on top of the dough, seal the edges and roll it out into a cylinder. Cut them as big as you want.
Heres our finished project. just waiting for the frosting to dry. You don't have to frost them, but we like them that way. Needless to say, the 2 brothers were very happy!!Of course I have to send a bunch of these over to Susan from Food Blogga! She's got her famous cookie baking event going on again.
Check out the roundup she has already! They all look delicious! Hurry, you still have a little time to submit something. Happy Baking!!!
