Best Sicilian Nut Rolls Recipes

SICILIAN NUT ROLLS

Steps:

• 1 In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the shortening and butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 2 In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with two tablespoons of the milk. Add the mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until the dough is evenly moistened. If needed, blend in a little more milk. 3 Gather the dough into a ball and place it on a sheet of plastic wrap. Flatten it into a disk and wrap well. Refrigerate 1 hour up to overnight. 4 Process the nuts and sugar in a food processor. Process until fine. Add the honey, zest, and cinnamon, and process until blended. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 2 large baking sheets. 5 Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll out one piece between two sheets of plastic wrap to form a square slightly larger than 8 inches. Trim the edges and cut the dough into 2-inch squares. Place a heaping teaspoon of the filling along one side of each square. Roll up the dough to enclose the filling completely. Place seam-side down on the baking pan. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, placing the cookies 1 inch apart. 6 Bake 18 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool. Store in a tightly sealed container up to 2 weeks. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar before serving. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

NUT ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together 1 cup white sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 cup melted butter, and 3 eggs. Mix and add 1/2 pint sour cream. Mix together yeast with warm milk and 1 teaspoon sugar. Add to mixture. Add flour. Mix and knead. Divide dough into 7 equal parts.
• To Make Filling: Melt 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons butter. Add 2 cups sugar and stir to dissolve. Add to ground walnuts and mix until coated. Add ground cinnamon and vanilla extract to taste, if desired. Divide filling into 7 equal amounts.
• Roll each dough ball into rectangle. Spread slightly beaten egg white on top of dough. Spread equal amounts of filling on top of each rectangle. Roll in edges and spread edges with egg whites to seal. Then roll length wise. Brush tops with egg whites.
• Bake in a 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) preheated oven for 30 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool. These freeze well.

ITALIAN NUT ROLLS/COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Make dough the night before baking: Beat egg yolks. Cream butter and sugar. Add beaten yolks. Add the rest of the dough ingredients. Refrigerate overnight.
• 2. Make filling the night before baking: Beat egg whites. Add other ingredients. Mix well. Refrigerate overnight.
• 3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• 4. Roll dough in flour mixed with powder sugar. Make 3 inch squares. Put 1/2 tsp filling in center of square. Fold up 2 opposite corners. Brush with egg white and roll in powdered sugar.
• 5. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 12-15 minutes. (check after 12 minutes - don't overcook). After cookie is cooled, roll in powder sugar again.