Buccellati...
Fig-and-Almond-filled Cookies from Sicily
From... Field, Carol, The Italian Baker. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc., 1985.
Imagine, if you can, a Fig Newton, Sicilian-style, with figs and nuts rolled inside sweet pastry dough and topped with a dusting of powdered sugar. These fat little nougats look more like pfefferniáse than Fig Newtons, but wait until you bite into them. This recipe makes 3 dozen cookies. These Brucellati are basically Cucidati by another name.
Filling
| 2/3 | Cup | Figs - Calmyra or light figs (100 g) |
| 1 | Cup | Walnuts - toasted & chopped (100g) |
| 1 | Cup | Almonds - blanched & chopped (100 g) |
| 1 | Orange - zest from orange uses only | |
| 1/2 to 3/4 | Tsp. | Cocoa powder - unsweetened, preferably Dutch process |
| 3/4 | Cup | Wine - red |
| 1 | Tbl. | Wine - red |
| 1 | Tsp. | Wine - red |
| 2 1/2 | Tsp. | Honey |
| 1 | Tsp. | Granulated sugar |
| See Below | Pasta Frolla - needs Chilling | |
| Q.B. | Confectioners sugar |
Combine the figs, walnuts, and almonds in a saucepan. Add the orange zest, cocoa, wine, honey, and granulated sugar and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, over a medium heat to a rather dry paste. Remove from the heat. Pinch off 1 piece of the cold pastry dough about the size of a walnut, roll between your palms into a ball, and then flatten to a circle. Place 1 teaspoon nut paste in the center and wrap the pastry over the paste, enclosing it completely. Roll into a ball. Repeat with the remaining pastry and paste and place 11/2 inches apart on buttered or parchment-lined baking sheets.
Baking. Heat the oven to 350° F. Bake until lightly browned, 25 minutes. Transfer to racks and immediately sift confectioners' sugar over the tops, Let cool completely.
Pasta Frolla
| 2 1/2 | Cups | Flour - all purpose (680 g) |
| 1/2 | Cup | Sugar (100g) |
| 1 | Pinch | Salt |
| 1 3/4 | Sticks | Butter - unsalted & at cool room temp, malleable |
| 1 | Egg | |
| 1 | Egg yolk | |
| 1 | Tsp. | Vanilla extract |
| 1 | Tsp. | Lemon juice or 1/2 tsp. of lemon extract or grated lemon zest |
Makes 11/2 pounds (680 grams) dough
Enough for three 8-inch tarts; two or three 9- or 10-inch tarts, depending on the thickness; one two-crust or two latticed 9- or 10-inch tarts; one 11 x 8-inch tart, with or without lattice; or ten to fifteen 31/5-inch tartlets. In some cases you may have a bit of dough left over, but you can always use the extra to make a few tartlets or cookies
Preparation - By Hand
Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl and stir to mix. Cut the butter into small pieces and cut it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Slowly stir in first the egg and then the egg yolk, mixing thoroughly. Then stir in the vanilla and lemon juice. Gather the dough together and knead it roughly and briefly on a lightly floured surface just until the dough comes together.
Preparation - By Mixer
Cream the butter and the sugar in a mixer bowl with the paddle until pale and creamy. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and lemon juice, one at a rime, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add the flour and salt and mix until the dough comes together and is consistent but still soft. Be careful not to overmix or the pastry will be tough.
Preparation - By Processor
Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Cut the butter, which must be cold, into small chunks and scatter over the flour. Process with 4 to 6 pulses until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and lemon juice. With the machine running, pour the egg mixture through the feed tube and process just until the dough comes together on top of the blade. Do not process until it gathers into a ball or the pastry will be tough. Knead the dough very briefly on a lightly floured surface just until it is no longer sticky.
At this point you may pat the dough into place in a buttered tart pan and bake it immediately after chilling. Otherwise, divide it into thirds or halves, depending on the size. of the tart you are planning, or flatten the whole amount into a 4- to 5-inch disk.
Chilling
Wrap the dough with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and refrigerate at least 1 hour but no longer than 1 day.
Last updated on:06/03/99 12:51:21 AM