Serves: 18
Total Calories: 219
1 Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter, using an electric mixer or pastry blender, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2 In a bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla. Add the eggs to the dry ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon until the dough is evenly moistened. If the dough is too dry, blend in a little cold water a few drops at a time.
3 Gather the dough into a ball and place it on a sheet of plastic wrap. Flatten it into a disk and wrap well. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
4 Prepare the filling: In a food processor or meat grinder, grind the figs, raisins, and nuts until coarsely chopped. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate if not using within the hour.
5 To assemble the pastries, preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease two large baking sheets.
6 Cut the dough into 6 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a log about 4 inches long.
7 With a floured rolling pin, roll one log into a 9 × 5-inch rectangle. Trim the edges.
8 Spoon a 3/4-inch strip of the filling lengthwise slightly to one side of the center of the rolled out dough. Fold one long side of the dough over to the other and press the edges together to seal. Cut the filled dough crosswise into 3 even pieces.
9 With a sharp knife, cut slits 3/4-inch long at 1/2-inch intervals through the filling and dough. Curving them slightly to open the slits and reveal the fig filling, place the pastries one inch apart on the baking sheets.
10 Brush the pastry with the egg wash. Drizzle with candy sprinkles if desired. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
11 Bake the cookies 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
12 Cool the cookies on wire racks. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 month.
From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This Christmas Fig Cookies recipe is from the Cook'n in Italy Cookbook. Download this Cookbook today.
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