Sfratti (nut Filled Cookies)

Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 2 hrs 20 mins

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter (or 1/3 cup cold margarine)
• 2/3 cup sweet wine
• 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
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• fine dry breadcrumb (for dusting)
• 1 egg yolk (beaten with 2 tablespoons water, for egg wash)

Recipe

• 1 to make the dough:.
• 2 in a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
• 3 cut in the margarine or butter with a pastry blender until the mixture has the consistency of coarse meal.
• 4 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).
• 5 divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk.
• 6 cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
• 7 to make the filling:.
• 8 pour the honey into a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat.
• 9 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.
• 10 remove from the heat and let cool until you can touch the mixture without burning yourself.
• 11 dust the counter(or chilled pastry board) with bread crumbs(you can substitute flour). pour the filling onto the board and, using your hands, roll it into 6 long, thin ropes, each 12 to 14 inches long (work quickly as the mixture sets up fast).
• 12 to make the cookies:.
• 13 preheat oven to 375°f.
• 14 butter 1 or 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.
• 15 on a lightly floured board, divide the dough into 6 equal pieces.
• 16 roll out each piece into a 4-inch-wide strip that is 12 to 14 inches long.
• 17 place a strip of nut paste on the center of each piece of dough, and roll up the dough, fully enclosing the nut paste.
• 18 cut into finger-length cookies and place on the prepared baking sheet(s).
• 19 brush the sticks with the egg wash glaze. bake until golden, about 20 minutes. transfer to a rack to cool.
• 20 these keep well in an air-tight tin.