Cuccidati facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Italian fig cookie, Sicilian fig cookie |
|---|---|
| Type | Cookie |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Sicily |
| Main ingredients | Figs |
Cucciddati are delicious cookies from Sicily, Italy. They are also known as Italian fig cookies or Sicilian fig cookies. These special cookies are filled with figs and are a popular treat, especially during the Christmas time.
The outside of a Cucciddati cookie is made from a soft pastry dough. It's often covered with sweet icing and colorful rainbow sprinkles, making them look festive!
The yummy filling inside usually has a mix of different ingredients. You might find walnuts, dates, figs, honey, warm spices, and orange or apricot jam. The dough is rolled around this sweet filling. Then, the rolls are cut into short tubes or curved into a "bracelet" shape.
Where Do Cucciddati Come From?
The way we make Cucciddati today became popular during the time when Muslims ruled Sicily. This was a long time ago! But even before that, an older version of these cookies was made during the Roman times when they occupied Sicily. So, these cookies have a very long and interesting history!
Different Kinds of Cucciddati
Cucciddati can have many different names and slightly different recipes, depending on where they are made in Sicily.
- When they are shaped like a ring, they might be called buccellati. This name means "little bracelets." It's like a smaller version of a bigger fig-filled ring cake called buccellato.
- The ingredients can change a lot too! Some towns call them "nucciddati" (which means "nut cookies"), "zucciddati", "ucciddati", or "vucciddati".
- For example, in a town called Serradifalco, their version of Cucciddati, which they call pucciddati, includes ground figs, dates, nuts, and even orange peels.
No matter the name or exact ingredients, Cucciddati are a cherished part of Sicilian traditions, especially during the holidays!
