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Chocolate Italian Christmas Cookies (Sweet fritters with almonds, walnuts, bread, coffee and chocolate)
Originated from: Abruzzo or Calabria
Occasion: Christmas
Contributed by: Dorinda (nee Carosella) Cavanaugh

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Ingredients

Dough:
5 extra large eggs
10 large tablespoons sugar
5 large tablespoons melted lard
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 cups flour

Filling:
1 lb almonds
4 slices Italian bread
2 lbs walnuts
1 cup dark Italian coffee
11 squares semi-sweet chocolate
2 cups sugar

[Oil for frying]



Directions

For the filling

Shell nuts, blanch almonds. Toast nuts separately in 375 oven, turning often. Put nuts in blender, grind to fine consistency (walnuts will be almost liquid). Toast Italian bread, make very fine bread crumbs, toast again in oven until dark golden brown. Grate or cut chocolate. Place in heavy saucepan 1 cup dark Italian coffee and about 2 cups sugar. Bring to boil, add chocolate, string until melted. Cook 1/2 hour, stirring often. Add nuts, cook a few minutes, and if needed add some bread crumbs to thicken (should be consistency of thick pudding). Cook 1/2 hour more. If too thin, add bread crumbs. If too thick, add coffee.

For the dough.

Mix ingredients and work into a fine dough. Roll dough out to about 1/8 inch thick.

To make the cookies

Cut 4 inch circles. Dot each circle with about 1 tablespoon of filling (The cookies should be thick). Fold over, making half moon shapes. Press the ends together with a fork. Fry till golden.






Notes

Dorinda Cavanaugh's parents originated from two different regions -- her father, Mr. Nicholas Carosella, was born in Castelfrentano, Abruzzo; her mother was born in the United States and her mother's mother was born and raised in Calabria. The recipe in this entry was often made by Dorinda Cavanaugh's mother, Mrs. Ida Carosella. Dorinda Cavanaugh wrote down her mother's recipes and put them all together in a collection, entitled, "Secrets from Nana's Kitchen." The recipe in this entry comes from this private publication.... Photo: Mary Melfi.

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