Little Maw-Maw’s Italian Fig Cookies (Cuccidati) and Pasta Palazzo

SAINTS ARE BUSY! Monday, March 18, 2013:

Good Morning Foodies!  Spent a most wonderful weekend in New Orleans, catching up on loving that NEW BABY GRAND PEEP!  Irish Eyes were definitely shining upon the city.  It was the most gorgeous day and the people were out.  Today, we are in between SAINTS’ DAYS! Tomorrow is St. Joseph’s Day.  There is a little more to this celebration than GREEN BEER!  As I told you, last Thursday, this is a most wonderful Italian celebration.  These altars are usually done in thanks for novenas or blessings that were granted or pending novenas.  I was able to pick the brains of some of my relatives for more little tidbits about this grand feast.  Remember, everything on the altar is blessed, so there will be items that you keep for special needs.  If you keep blessed dried fava beans in your wallet, etc. you will always have money on hand.  You keep the blessed bread in your freezer and throw outside bits of it when the weather is so bad.  All the blessed breads are baked into the shapes of round (life circle), oval (egg shape, usually depicting Easter), and the shape of the cross.  Bread crumbs are spread around the altar to represent carpenter dust of St. Joseph.  There is never meat on the altar, just seafood.  The reason for this is that usually this holiday falls during Lent.  Some talented ladies make the most beautiful meringue doves, representing the HOLY SPIRIT.  The night before, people gather for an early blessing and say the rosary in Italian.  It is one of the most moving things I can recall about that feast.  I guess the one thing, I will never know, is where did they put all that food that they made in advance.  I know back then, to have a freezer was very unusual and most families only had one refrigerator.  Somehow, someway, they were able to prepare all that food and keep it for that special day.  Today, my two recipes are one of the pasta favorites and the grand Italian Fig Cookie.  How I miss those days!  I hope you have a great day!

Todays Menu:

Little Maw-Maw’s Italian Fig Cookies (Cuccidati)