Sicilian Fig Cookies

Step 1
For the pastry: Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk; mix into a smooth dough. Turn dough out and shape into a circle; cut into 4 equal pieces, cover in plastic wrap, and chill.

Step 2
For the filling: Zest and juice orange into a large bowl; add figs, raisins, and nuts. Transfer mixture to a food processor; blend until evenly chopped. Stir in honey, rum, and cinnamon; set aside.

Step 3
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

Step 4
Remove dough from the refrigerator. Roll one piece of dough at a time into an 8-inch wide strip about 1/4-inch thick. Cut lengthwise in half, forming two long strips, each about 4 inches wide. Lay strips on work surface; brush top inch of each with cold water. About 1/3 of the way up from bottom of dough, place 1/4 of the filling in a 1-inch wide strip, running from end to end. Fold the moistened edge of dough over the filling and press to seal edges. Cut each strip into 1-inch rectangles and place on the prepared cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining sections of dough.

Step 5
Bake in preheated oven until tops are golden, about 13 to 16 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheets for 10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks.