Sfratti (Nut Filled Cookies)

By way of La Cucina Ebraica, these cookies, traditionally served at Rosh Hashanah, (sfratti means evicted) supposedly represent the sticks landlords used to chase non-paying tenants. The pastry, moistened with sweet wine, is made with butter or margarine--depending on whether the meal is dairy or not. Cook time includes two hours for dough to chill.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 20 mins
• Yields: 48 cookies

Ingredients

• For the pastry

• 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

• For the filling

• 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)

Directions

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.