Sicilian Fig Cookies

Ever since I can remember my dad, aunt and other friends and family gather in early December to make the fig cookies. Usually it is preceded by weeks of my mom suggesting to my dad that he make a 1/2 batch and him stubbornly trudging ahead as planned. The fig cookies aren't something everyone can appreciate, but they seem to be getting better and better each year. The filling is a mixture of dried figs, dates, citron, those other red and green fruit things (whatever they are) that you find in fruit cake, chocolate and other spices. Every year seems to be a new variation based on what is available and what is going through my dad's head at the time.

He usually starts a week or two in advance of cookie day grinding all of the ingredients in a food grinder and letting them sit in the fridge so the flavors can meld. Then on cookie day everyone has their task and the cookies, which would be an enormous job for one, is done in a matter of an hour or two.

I'm not going to bother posting the recipe, but here are some photos of the family at work.


Dad rolling the dough. I apprenticed in the roller position this year.


Franko and Aunt Toni.

Joe. Franko would fill the dough and Toni and Joe would seal it and cut it.


Cookies ready for the oven.


Nana and Ilan dancing while the cookies bake.


Nina icing and sprinkling the warm cookies.


The finished product.