Nucatuli - Christmas Cookies

By á-1889

Reprint from "bruculinu, America" by Vincent Schiavelli
(Hazelnut Cookies)
Makes 7 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 3-1/2 cups shelled filberts (one pound)
• 3-3/4 cups flour
• 1-1/4 cups cake flour
• pinch baking powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 stick sweet butter
• 2-1/4 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 Tbs cold milk, plus more if needed

Preparation

Step 1

Toast nuts at 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove skins and cool completely. Coarsley chop nuts into halves and quarters and set aside.

Stir together flours, baking pwder and cinnamon TWICE. Transfer to a large bowl. Using mixer (or by hand) cut in butter until mixture resembles cornmeal.

Stir in sugar and then the beaten eggs. Stir in nuts.

Thin honey with 1 Tbs milk and knead it into the mixture to form a soft, elastic dough. If needed, add extra milk ONE TBS AT A TIME.

Cut 2 pieces of foil about 16X18 each and dust shiny side with flour. Divide dough in half and place each half on piece of foil. Roll dough into logs 12" long by 2-1/2" in. diameter. Wrap logs in foil and roll them on the work surface, keeping them smooth and round.
Freeze logs at least 1-1/2 hours to firm. (Dough may be frozen for one week.)

In a 400 degree oven, with rack in upper third of oven position on 4 greased baking sheets -- Unwrap logs and with a sharp knife in a sawing motion, cut dough in 1/8" thick slices. Place slices 1" apaart on sheets and bake about 15 minutes or until tops just begin to color. Cool cookies on baking sheets. Cookies become crunchy when cooled. Store in air tight container. (Can be frozen.)