Cucidati (Fig Cookies)

• 1

  Boil whole orange in water...simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool.

• 2

  Assemble all ingredients.

• 3

  Put everything in food processor (except keep one half cup of the brandy out) and mix until smooth. You may have to do this in more than one batch. Put mixture in pot and cook, stirring constantely for five - ten minutes.

• 4

  Remove from heat and add rest of the brandy. Cool, then refrigerate at least 24 hours up to 48 hours.

Dough

• 1

  8 cups flour

• 2

  1 1/8 cups Crisco

• 3

  1 1/4 cups sugar

• 4

  3 eggs

• 5

  3/4 cup milk

• 6

  3 tablespoons baking powder

• 7

  1 tablespoon vanilla

• 1

  Measure flour and dry ingredidents into large bowl, cut in crisco. Mixture should be crumbly. Make a well in the middle of flour and add beaten eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix to make a soft dough. Knead, cover and let rest.

• 2

  Divide dough into ten equal parts. With rolling pin form each piece into a rectangle about three inches wide by twelve inches long.

• 3

  Place filling down middle strip of dough. Fold one side over lenghtwise and then the other side, overlapping by 1/4 inch. Turn seam side down. Cut diagonally into one-inch widths. Cookies will swell when they cook.

• 4

  Bake on lightly greased baking sheet, seam side down at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Ten minutes on lower rack and ten minutes on upper rack.

Frosting

• 1

  1/2 box confectioners’ sugar

• 2

  1/4 cup warm milk

• 3

  1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• 4

  sprinkles