Here's a response from Marbalet to your original request in 2000
(Blame the formatting (or lack thereof) on epi)
Marbalet@McDonoughGA: ISO:Claire In Kelsey=Italian Heirloom Cookie Recipes 4 U
Posted: Sep 19, 2000 9:15 PM
Claire, I hope that one of these recipe sounds like what you are looking for, maybe called by a different name, hopefully... Cartellatte (Italian Wine Cookies) Ingredients: 4 lbs. Flour 2 Tbs. Cinnamon 8 oz. Salad Oil 1 Tbs. Salt 1/2 Cup Sugar 32 oz. Warm White Wine Sprinkle cinnamon in flour. Blend in oil, salt and sugar. Add warm wine slowly until firm dough is formed. Knead well. Wrap in seran wrap to keep from drying out. Form rosettes by putting small pieces of dough through a pasta machine roller until smooth and thin. (like noodle dough). Cut with pastry wheel in 1-in. strips. Use diagram below to illustrate how to form rosettes. Set on tea towel after formed to dry a little. Fry rosettes in hot salad oil until golden, and drain on paper towels. Mix vino cotto and honey (1/2 & 1/2 in a saucepan) and heat it until simmering. Dip the fried cartelatte in this syrup. Sprinkle with colored candies. Old-Fashioned Italian Cuchidahti Cookies Ingredients: 1 1/2 sticks of margarine 1 cup of sugar 3 1/2 cups of sifted flour 2 tsp. Baking Powder 1/2 tsp Baking Soda 1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla 4 eggs Sift dry indgredients in a large bowl. Add eggs,vanilla and softened margarine. Mix well. Roll into ball and refrigerate for a while, makes it easier to handle. Remove from bowl, and cut a piece off. Roll out flat. Use a cookie cutter, or roll into long little pieces and make a braid or shape like a wreath. Use your imagination.Make them in any shape or form you wish. Bake on cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Decorate with a mixture of powderd sugar and water. Make the paste thick but thin enough to put on cookies. Drizzle on each cookie and then put candy sprinkles on them. Cuchidahti Filling: 1 lb of dried figs 1 lb of raisins 1 jar of honey 1 cup of walnuts 1 cup of almonds Rind of lemon Rind of orange Sherry Now, if you have a meat grinder, its best. Don't make the mistake I did once and use my blender to do this. Not a good idea! I smoke checked it. But a food processor should do the trick. You may also put the figs in some water, and stew them for a few minutes to soften them. Chop nuts up fine in a nut chopper. Put a 1/2 cup of sherry and other ingredients into food proccessor a little at a time, and grind up (no need to add sherry during grinding if you use a meat chopper, you can add that later when you mix in the nuts).Remove from processor and put in large bowl, add nuts and mix well. Add more sherry as needed as to not have mixture too dry. A medium to dry consistency is what your looking for. Now put in a covered plastic container, and store in refrigerator. Can be stored for up to a year. Add a tsp. of sherry to mixture once a month to keep it fermented. Now use this filling for the italian cookies. Just flatten a small piece of dough and put a tsp. of filling on it and fold sides up and pinch closed. Bake the same as for the plain cookies. And decorate or leave plain Marriage Cookies (Biscotti Sposalizi) p. 220 Celebrations Italian Style From Ciao Italia, By MaryAnn Esposito 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, or 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa 1/4 cup coarsely ground walnuts 1 cup raisins, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup milk Frosting: 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar 2 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream 1 teaspoon unsalted butter or margarine, softened 1 teaspoon rum extract Colored sprinkles Preheat the oven to 3500 F. Lightly grease two cookie sheets. In a bowl, beat the flour and butter or shortening until well blended. Add the sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, nuts, and raisins and mix well. Add the milk and mix well to make a soft dough. Drop teaspoonfuls of the dough onto the cookie sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until firm. Cool on wire racks before frosting. In a bowl, mix all the frosting ingredients until smooth. Dip the tops of the cookies into the frosting, place on wire racks, and sprinkle tops with colored sprinkles. Let the frosting dry completely before layering the cookies between wax paper. " The name of these filled pastries is Cucidati, which is Sicilian for Buccellati, or "little bracelets". You may substitute butter for part or all of the lard if you wish. " Ingredients: 2 cups dried figs 1/4 cup golden raisins 1/4 cup currants 1/4 cup candied orange peel 1/4 cup toasted and sliced almonds 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts 2(1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1/3 cup apricot preserves 1/4 cup dark rum 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 cup lard 2 eggs 1/3 cup milk 1 egg 1 pinch salt 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration FOR THE FILLING: Stem the figs and quarter them. Place in a bowl and cover with boiling water; steep 10 minutes. Drain and chop coarsely in the food processor. Combine with yellow raisins, currants, candied orange peel, toasted sliced almonds, toasted pine nuts, bittersweet chocolate, apricot preserves, rum, instant espresso coffee, cinnamon, and cloves. To prepare in advance, cover tightly with plastic wrap and keep at a cool room temperature or in the refrigerator up to 3 days. FOR THE DOUGH: Combine the flour, sugar and baking powder in a bowl and stir to mix. Rub in the lard finely, leaving the mixture powdery. Beat 2 eggs and milk to combine in a small bowl and stir into the flour mixture to form a dough. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead lightly a few times. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll each into a cylinder about 12 inches long. Flour the surface and the dough lightly and roll it into a rectangle about 14 inches long and 3 inches wide. Place a line of the filling down the center of each rectangle, using 1/12 of the filling for each piece of dough. Bring up the dough around the filling and pinch to seal. Turn the filled sausage of dough over so that the seam is on the bottom and cut it into 3 1/2- to 4-inch lengths. Using a sharp paring knife or single-edge razor blade, make a series of diagonal slashes in the top of each little sausage. Pull and twist gently, holding the sausage at each end to open the slashes. Transfer to paper- lined cookie sheets, curving them into wide horseshoe shapes. Make an egg wash by beating the egg and salt together with a fork until it is loose. Paint each shape with the egg wash. Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for about 20 minutes, or until they are a light golden color. Cool, dust with confectioners' sugar and store in tins, between layers of wax paper. Makes 4 dozen Spumoni Slices - Italian Christmas Cookies Ingredients: 1/2 c Shortening 1/2 c Margarine or butter 3 c All purpose flour 1 c Sugar 1 Egg 2 tb Milk 1 ts Vanilla 1/2 ts Baking soda 1 Square (1 ounce) semi-sweet Chocolate, melted and Cooled 4 ts Milk 1/3 c Chopped candied red Cherries 1/2 c Chopped pistachio nuts 1/4 ts Rum flavoring Few drops green food coloring Powdered sugar icing or Melted chocolate (optional) Beat shortening and margarine or butter about 30 seconds or till softened. Add half the flour, the sugar, egg, 2 Tbsp. milk, vanilla, baking soda, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Beat till thoroughly combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour. Divide dough into thirds. Into one portion, mix chocolate and 2 tsp. of the milk. Into second portion, mix cherries. Into third portion mix nuts, remaining milk, flavoring, and enough green food coloring to tint dough. To shape dough, line bottom and sides of an 8 x 4 x 2 inch loaf pan with clear plastic wrap. Press pink dough evenly in pan. Top with chocolate dough. Top with green dough. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours. Invert pan; remove dough. Remove plastic wrap. Cut dough into 1/4 inch thick slices; cut each slice crosswise into three pieces. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in 375 oven 8 to 10 minutes or till edges are lightly browned. Remove and cool on rack. Drizzle with powdered sugar icing tinted green or with melted chocolate. Makes about 84 Source: Better Homes and Gardens Nut Filled Cookie Sticks (Sfratti) Sfratti means "evicted." The name comes from Italian landlords of long ago who used sticks to chase away poor tenants who had not paid their rent. Some of them were probably poor Jews. The cookies are stick- like, and Jewish cooks have turned their origins around, making them instead sweet symbols of eviction. These honey-and-nut- filled cookies are served at Rosh Hashanah. As described in Aldo Santini's La cucina moremmana, they are made with pastry moistened with sweet wine instead of water. Butter or margarine is used, depending upon whether the rest of the meal is dairy or not. My family thinks these are better than rugelach! For the pastry: 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar Pinch of salt 1/3 cup chilled margarine or unsalted butter 2/3 cup sweet wine For the filling: 2/3 cup honey 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest 1 tablespoon grated orange zest Pinch of freshly ground black pepper All-purpose flour or fine dried bread crumbs for dusting 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tablespoons water, for egg wash Chill a pastry board. To make the dough: In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the margarine or butter with a pastry blender until the mixture has the consistency of coarse meal. Add the wine and stir and toss with a fork until the mixture just holds together. Remove the dough from the bowl and gather it into a ball. (The dough can also be made in a food processor, pulsing it to cut in the butter and processing to bring the dough together.) Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. To make the filling: Pour the honey into a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, add the cinnamon and cloves, and boil until it forms a ribbon when a spoon is lifted, about 10 minutes. Add the nuts, citrus zests, and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool until you can touch the mixture without burning yourself. Dust the chilled board with flour or bread crumbs. Pour the filling onto the board and, using your hands, roll it into 6 long, thin ropes, each 12 to 14 inches long. Act quickly as the mixture sets up fast! Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Butter 1 or 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper. On a lightly floured board, divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll out each piece into a 4-inch-wide strip that is 12 to 14 inches long. Place a strip of nut paste on the center of each piece of dough, and roll up the dough, fully enclosing the nut paste. Cut into finger-length cookies. Place on the prepared baking sheet(s). Brush the sticks with the egg wash glaze. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. These keep well but you won't have them long! Makes Forty-Eight 2-inch-long cookies From: Cucina Ebraica by Joyce Goldstein Chronicle Books 1998, Hardcover, US $29.95 Reprinted by permission. Italian Anisette Filled Cookies Dough Ingredients: 5 1/2 c Flour 1/2 c Sugar 6 t Baking powder 1/4 t Salt 2 T Anisette liqueur 6 lg Eggs 2 t Vanilla 1 lb Butter or margarine Filling Ingredients: 3 c Raisins 1 lb Figs 1/2 c Brown sugar 1 c Walnuts 1 t Cinnamon 2 T Water Dough Directions: Mix flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in large bowl. Cut in butter until it resembles coarse meal. Make a well, add eggs and vanilla. Mix with wooden spoon until mixture leaves side of bowl. Filling Directions: Chop or grind fruit and nuts. Add cinnamon, brown sugar, and water. Cook over low heat until fruit is soft and filling has thickened. Set aside, cool. Roll dough thin, cut in 2" circles with cookie cutter. Put 1 T of filling in center, fold and seal edges. Bake in 375 degree oven until golden brown. Ravioli Dolci "Sweet ravioli" is a tasty cherry filled cookie with in delicate cookie "pasta". A food processor will help assemble this cookie quickly. Also, Marsala wine is particularly nice in this recipe. Cookies may also be deep-fried. type: refrigerator, formed makes: 4 dozen Ingredients: 5 ounces butter 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking soda pinch of salt 1 egg 1/3 cup chilled dry wine 3/4 pound ricotta cheese 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar zest of 1/2 lemon 1 cup cherry preserves 1 beaten egg powdered sugar, optional Rub together butter, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt until mixture is crumbly. Mix in egg and wine. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour. Meanwhile make filling by combining the ricotta, sugar, lemon zest, and cherry preserves. Preheat oven to 3500F. Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. Roll out dough between two pieces of wax paper until 1/4"-1/8" in thickness. Carefully remove the top sheet of wax paper. Cut dough into rectangles (these will fold over to make squares. Put some filling in the "center" of the side of the rectangle. Fold over the rectangle to make a square. Squeeze ends closed and press all sides with a fork. Place on a baking sheet about 2" apart and brush tops with beaten egg. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on cookie sheet 2-3 minute then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Italian Crescent Cookies Basic Dough Ingredients: 1/2 cup warm milk- about 105 degrees 1 tbsp sugar 2 cakes yeast (or 2 packages dry active) Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add sugar and proof in warm place until foamy. Dough Ingredients: 6 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp salt 1/3 cup sugar less the tbsp used to proof yeast 1/4 lb soft butter 3 beaten eggs 1 cup sour cream at room temperature grated rind of one lemon dash nutmeg Place flour, salt, sugar, lemon rind and nutmeg in a large bowl and mix. Add soft butter, eggs and sour cream. Mix well. Add yeast mixture and mix thoroughly. Let rest 5 minutes. Knead until dough is pliant (about 10 minutes). Place in greased bowl to rise, cover and put in a warm, draft-free spot for 45 minutes. Nut Filling Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs ground walnuts 1 1/2 cups cream 3 egg yolks 1/4 lb butter 3 egg whites beaten stiff with 1 tbsp sugar 1/3 cup honey 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates 1/2 cup chopped figs 1 tbsp grated orange rind 1 tsp vanilla 1 tbsp brandy (optional) 1 tbsp grated lemon rind 1 1/3 cups sugar 1 tbsp cinnamon Scald cream and pour over walnuts. Add butter and let it melt in the hot mixture. Add honey, sugar and mix. Add lemon rind, orange rind, vanilla, cinnamon, brandy and slightly beaten egg yolks. Mix. Fold egg whites into nut mixture and set aside. Roll out dough- fill as you wish either in a large pan with crust on top and bottom or in small cookie crescent shapes. Let rise either way for about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees (1/2 hour at 350 then 1/2 hour or longer at 325 for the big pan) and cool. Ice with powdered sugar frosting (powdered sugar, a tiny bit of cream and about a tsp of vanilla.)
http://food4.epicurious.com/HyperNews/get/cookie/704/1.html
