Recipe - Cuciaddatu

PASTRY
2 pound Unbleached flour
1 cup Confectioners' sugar
3 Pinches salt
1 pound (2 c.) vegetable shortening
8 Whole eggs plus 2 yolks;
beaten together
3 tablespoon Cognac

FILLING
One half pound Blanched almonds
One half pound Filberts or hazelnuts
One half cup (3 oz.) pine nuts
1 pound Plus 2 oz. raisins
Three fourths cup Honey
One fourth cup Sugar
2 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 teaspoon Unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoon Cognac
One fourth cup Water
2 Beaten egg whites
Nonpareils

Cuciaddatu is another of the known authentic recipes from my
greatgrandfather Cologero Vilardi. The poor people of the region prepare
this Christmas pastry with dried figs; the rich, with raisins. In these
Sicilian mountains fig trees are plentiful and one can always find figs to
dry. But to have raisins, one must own a vineyard. Traditionally, this
pastry if formed in the shape of a log, but Papa Andrea often formed
individual turnovers. The women of Polizzi Generosa, a small mountain city,
still gather in small groups during the Christmas season to bake their
cuciaddatu in woodburning ovens.

Toast the filberts in a hot oven for about 5 minutes. Be sure they do not
burn. When they are cool enough to handle, rub them together to remove as
much of the inner shell as possible. Chop together the filberts, almonds,
and raisins. Heat the honey, sugar, cinnamon, cocoa, cognac, and water
together, bringing the mixture slowly to a boil. Let it boil for 5 minutes.
Turn in the chopped nuts and raisins, and the whole pine nuts. When they
are well coated, remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool.
Meanwhile, prepare the dough. Sift together the flour, sugar, and three
pinches of salt. Cut in the shortening, then cut in the beaten eggs and egg
yolks. Mix in the cognac, and knead just until the dough is elastic. Form
it into a ball, lightly dust it, cover it in a cloth, and let it rest for
15 minutes. If you are preparing logs, divide the dough in half and roll it
into two rectangles, 1/4inch thick, Place half the filling on each, form
it into a log shape, seal the seam very well, close the ends and place
seamsidedown onto a cookie sheet. Brush with egg white and decorate with
nonpareils. Bake in a 350oF oven for one hour or until a pale golden color.
When the logs are completely cooled, wrap them in plastic wrap to ensure
freshness. If you are making turnovers, roll out the dough, fairly thin,
about 1/16 inch. Cut out 4inch circles. Place a small mound of the
nutandraisin mixture on half of the circle, about One fourth inch from the edge.
Brush the edge with beaten egg white. Fold over the other half, and pinch
the seam together to form a tight seal. Place it on a cookie sheet. When
the cookie sheet is filled, brush the top of each turnover with egg white
and decorate with nonpareils. Bake in a preheated 350oF oven for about 20
minutes, or until barely golden on top. When they are completely cooled,
store them in a closed cookie tin to ensure freshness. Makes two logs or
about 5 dozen turnovers.

Recipe from Papa Andrea's Sicilian Tables: Recipes From a Sicilian Chef

Recipe by: MAILING LIST 1995

Posted to recipeludigest Volume 01 Number 445 by ctlindab@mail1.nai.net on
Jan 4, 1998