St Joseph Day Figgy Cookies

Grandma Aduccia and Grandpa Marshall

My grandpa Marshall would never miss Mass on Easter Sunday or St Joseph Day, March 19th.  It was his way of honoring the patron saint of carpentry (his profession) and reminding the Irish that St Patrick was given to them by the very generous Italian people.  If you ever met my grandpa and talked with him, you'd understand. Since Grandpa Marshall loved figs, I created this version of the traditional St Joseph Day fig cookie.     
Filling Ingredients:
2 seven ounce bags of dried Mission figs
1/4 cup raisins, soaked in port or brandy
1/4 cup dried apricots, soaked in orange juice 
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped fine 
1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped fine
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/2 cup honey (I used local from the farmers market)
1 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2  teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ('not too much!' per Zia Elia)
nutmeg, freshly grated, just a fine dusting
1/4 cup liquor (I used the port 'leftovers')
Method:
Using a food processor, combine figs, raisins, and apricots.  Pulse until all are finely chopped.  In a medium mixing bowl, stir together preserves, honey, orange and lemon zest, cinnamon (not too much!) and liquor.  Grate a fine dusting of nutmeg (approximately 1/4 teaspoon) over the top. Now mix in nuts and fruit mixture from the food processor.  Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to make the cookies.
Dough Ingredients
4  cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 oz (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter
4 large fresh eggs at room temperature
pinch of orange zest
Method:
Place flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor.  Pulse for a minute or so just to mix ingredients. Add butter, cut up into small pieces.  Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, or is sort of crumb-y. (It's a dough thing)
Add eggs, one at a time, until dough just comes together on the blade.
Carefully remove dough, and knead for a minute or two on a lightly floured work surface until dough comes together.  This wont take more than a minute.  Pat dough into a frisbee shape about an inch thick.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you're ready to make the cookies.
To Make the Cookies:
Remove the frisbee of dough, and cut into 8 equal pie-shaped wedges. Working on a lightly floured surface, roll the wedge into a narrow cylinder approximately one foot long.  Use a rolling pin to flatten and shape the dough into a rectangle at least 3" wide and 14" long.  Now pipe (or spoon) the filling right down the center.  Brush egg wash around all the edges.  Starting in the center, pick up top edge and gently rollover the filling so top lip is tucked under the lower edge, creating a seam.  Repeat this from the center out towards the ends, taking care to roll seam to the center-bottom of the fruit filled roll of dough. Cut off the ends. Cut cuccidati into pieces about 1 1/2" long, or a size to your liking. Place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and bake at 375* for 15-18 minutes.
While cookies are baking, make a quick glaze with confectioner's sugar and lemon or orange juice.  When cookies are completely cool, spoon glaze over the top of the cookies, and sprinkle with decorative balls or sprinkles.
Dean martin sings 'Volare', one of grandpa's favorites  PS to Gerardo, is this legal?