Fig Cookies or Cucidatti

Filling:
3 lbs figs
2 lbs chopped dates
1 lb raisins

2 jars orange marmalade
1 jar honey
2 lbs almonds and walnuts, toasted
1 whole orange including rind
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt

Grind up figs, dates, raisins, and cherries.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Put the mixture into a large ziplock bag. 

Dough:
5 lbs flour
dozen eggs
4 cups shortening
8 tbsp baking powder
2.5 cups sugar
2 tbsp vanilla
2 cups milk

Beat eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla. In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder, shortening. Make a well and add the wet ingredients. When the dough comes off your hands it's ready. Cover with a towel.

Roll out the dough into a rectangle. Put the filling into a plastic freezer bag and cut off a corner to form a tip.

Squeeze a line of filling onto the dough; roll the dough over the filling and repeat. Then cut the logs into cookies on a diagonal.

Bake at 375 degrees until lightly browned. Let cool and frost cookies with confectioners sugar, milk and vanilla. Sprinkle with colored decorations.