Cavicionetti Allabruzzese Recipe 385

Steps:

• Prepare the filling: Heat the Marsala in a non-reactive pan. In a mixing bowl, combine the nuts, cinnamon, and chick pea puree. Add enough hot Marsala to obtain a thick but not stiff cream. Add the chocolate and stir until the chocolate melts. Add the sugar, candied fruit, and lemon rind. Refrigerate at least 20 min¬utes or longer. The filling can be prepared the day before. Prepare the dough: Combine the wine, water, and oil in a food processor. Process a few seconds and start adding the flour and baking powder. Stop as soon as a ball forms on the blades. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead IS minutes, adding more flour if necessary. The dough should be a little stiff but pliable. Cover with a bowl and let rest IS minutes. Roll out the dough as thinly as possible. (This can be done with a pasta machine, stopping before the last notch.) Cut the dough into 4-inch circles. Reuse the scraps by re-rolling them into the remaining dough. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling on each circle. Run a wet finger around the edge of the circle, fold the dough over to form a half moon, and press edges firmly to seal. Keep the finished pastry on a tray lined with kitchen towels. Heat the oil to the smoking point and fry pastries, without crowding the pan, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Mix the confectioner's sugar and cinnamon together and dust them with the mixture. Cavicionetti can be served hot or cold. NOTE: these pastries can also be baked at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes. A puree of Chestnuts, although less traditional, is a good substitution for chickpeas.

Steps:

• To make the pastry: Pour the white wine, water, and olive oil into the bowl of your food processor, and pulse a few times to blend. In a small bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, powdered sugar, and a tiny pinch of salt. Add this to the food processor, and pulse quickly a few times, just until it forms a ball. Turn the pastry out onto a floured surface, and knead for a few minutes, just until it holds together (it should be very smooth). Wrap the pastry in plastic, and let it rest for about an hour, unrefrigerated. To make the filling: Place the prunes and figs in a shallow bowl, and pour on the Marsala. Let sit for about 30 minutes, stirring it around a few times to soften the fruit. Put the toasted almonds in the food processor, and pulse until finely chopped (not to a powder, though). Add the prune mixture, the cinnamon, the pinch of clove, sugar, honey, orange marmalade, lemon zest, and orange zest, and pulse until you have a sticky, well-mixed mass. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the pastry in half, keeping the half you're not working with covered with plastic. Flour a work surface, and roll the pastry out thinly (a little thicker than fresh pasta dough). Flour a 3-inch round cookie cutter and cut as many rounds as you can. Place a teaspoon of filling on each round. Wet the edges all around with water, and fold the cookies over to form a mezzaluna shape. Seal them well by going around the cut edge with the tines of a fork. Do the same with the second piece of pastry (you can gather up all the scraps and reroll them together to get a few more cookies out of it if you like). Place the cookies on a Silpat- or parchment-lined cookie sheet and brush each cookie with a little olive oil. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until they're light golden brown. Let the cavicionetti cool for a few minutes, and then dust them with the powdered sugar and cinnamon mixture.