Recipe: Cappelli di Preti (Italian Fried Cookies - for Christmas) and Italian Fruit Crunch Cookies

Barbara, here is a recipe that sounds somewhat like what you are talking about. Hope this helps-Happy Holidays-Micha

CAPPELLI DI PRETI
(ITALIAN FRIED COOKIES - FOR CHRISTMAS)
Source: Albany Area Lodge of The Sons of Italy

Comment: These cookies totally convey the character of a Southern Italian Christmas celebration. These are rich, ultra tasty confections whose contents represent all the kinds of foods that were common in southern Italy, combined in a way that communicates the complex flavor/texture blends which are achieved in premium Italian cooking. Besides, they carry the most intense nostalgia of the good things which the Carrato/Mancuso family would make as a part of the celebration. We never knew a formal name for these cookies, but I later found that they are called cappelli di preti -- "priests' hats;" no doubt because these cookies are round shaped, and they bulge with filling, while the crimping around the edges involved turning up the edges; giving the effect of the old-fashioned priests' hats worn in some parts of Italy.

FILLING:
1 pound shelled walnuts
1 standard size can crushed pineapple, drained. Reserve liquid
1 pound white dried chestnuts (one can substitute dried ceci for the dried chestnuts)
1 pound citron
Juice of 1 lemon, 1 orange: reserve rinds
3 ounces baking chocolate
1 cup water
1 cup sugar

Soak walnuts and ceci overnight, then boil until soft. Mash into pulp.

Grind citron, orange rinds, lemon rinds into fine pulp.

Melt chocolate in large, heavy-bottomed pan.

Add all filling ingredients, and simmer slowly, stirring carefully. The result should be a paste that is quite dry - so that it can be spooned and used as a filling.

PASTRY:
5 cups bread flour
1 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water

Mix to consistency of dry pasta dough.

MAKING THE CONFECTIONS:
Pass dough through pasta roller to make strips, very thin, about 2 inches wide. Roll thinner, if necessary, using rolling pin. Should be about as thin as heavy manila folder paper. (A rolling pin can be used to roll dough into large sheets.)

Using a metal can, or another appropriate cutter, cut circles out of the strips of dough - about 2 inches in diameter, then place sufficient portion of filling in center of circle.

Moisten, very lightly, the edges, then place another circle of the dough atop the filled circle. Pinch edges carefully with fork, and then give the edge a slightly turned up appearance.

Fry in deep pan which contain about two inches of oil, turning over to assure even cooking.

Cool thoroughly, then drizzle with honey and sprinkle with colored candy dots.

Serve, accompanied by a cup of strong coffee or a glass of anisette.

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ITALIAN FRUIT CRUNCH COOKIES (CHRISTMAS)
Source: Albany Area Lodge of The Sons of Italy

Comment: This cookie has many of the characteristics of the cappelli di prete - the rich flavors, the contrasting textures, and the characteristic southern Italian/Sicilian ingredients.

BATTER:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
6 cups sifted pastry flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk

FILLING:
Grind through coarse grinder: 8 dried figs, 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces, 3/4 cup pitted dates, 1/2 cup candied cherries, 1/2 cup candied citron, 1 1/2 cup dried apricots, 12 pieces dried peaches. Add 1 3/4 cup honey, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Mix very thoroughly.

EGG WASH:
Prepare egg wash of 2 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons milk.

MIX BATTER:
Mixing should proceed as follows:
Measure out all ingredients. Have all ingredients at about 80 degrees F.

Start with the mixing of shortening. Mix the shortening until it is pale-colored and fluffy.

Add the sugar; again mix till pale and fluffy.

Add eggs and liquid flavorings. Mix until fluffy.

Mix in the dry ingredients and any other ingredients. (If using a machine mixer, take the bowl off the machine. Add the dry ingredients, and using the paddle stir, by hand, to blend in the flour. Return to the machine.) If liquid is required, add first a part of the flour; mix; then add half of liquid; mix; then add remaining flour; mix; add remaining liquid; mix. Mix just until ingredients are smoothly blended.

It should be unnecessary to caution a cookie maker about proper handling of batters. Any "rough" handling will remove the "short" quality which is desirable. Each type of cookie batter, however, requires a different kind of handling,which would be discussed in different recipes. Nothing, in the end, substitutes for experience in "getting the feel," of different kinds of cookie batters.

Press batter evenly on to a tray covered with waxed paper; cover batter with waxed paper; refrigerate for at least one hour.

Cut off one-third of the batter. Roll out evenly on a well-floured board, to a thickness of about 3/16 of an inch. Keep the piece nicely rectangular.
(Note: Rolling dough can be tricky. Keep the dough well floured with bread flour, which absorbs more liquid than does pastry flour. If the dough begins to stick to the board, one may try one of two different techniques (a) Dust top of piece generously, and roll around the rolling pin. Dust the board, and then unroll the piece back on the dusted board. (b) Pile flour at the end of the piece, and with the flat spatula at a slight tilt, pull the flour under the piece with a fast sliding motion of the spatula.)

Cut the piece into 2 inch by 2 inch squares. Use a good straight edge and a pastry cutter.

Put a "tube" of filling. about inch in diameter and about 13/4on to squares, laying the tube from corner to corner.

Using a soft paint brush, run down edges of squares with light coat of egg wash.

Roll a corner of each square across top of filling, then take the opposite corner over the folded corner, moving each cookies so that it is close to a neatly ordered row of cookies.

Wash the tops of the cookies with egg wash, sprinkle the tops with multi-colored sugar dots.

Place on pan (expect little spread) and bake at 375 for about 13 minutes.