Italian Prune Filled Cookies

2 1/4 cups pitted prunes

1/2 cup granulated sugar

6 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 cups of walnuts chopped

1 10 oz jar maraschino cherries drained and chopped

1 tablespoon of lemon zest

4 teaspoons of baking soda

2 eggs

1 cups milk

1 cup of vegetable oil

1/3 cup confectioners sugar for decoration

 

Directions,

1. Filling:
2. Cover prunes with water and heat until water steams cooking until plump. Strain the prunes.  Once stranded add 1/2 cup of sugar, add chopped nuts, and chopped maraschino cherries. Set fruit mix aside overnight.
3. Dough:
4. Make the dough the following day:
5. In large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, sugar and salt. Make a well in the center of the bowl. Add the 2 eggs, milk, grated lemon rind, oil and mix to form dough. Knead the dough until able to handle for rolling.
6. Divide the dough into 6 parts. 
7. Roll each part into a rectangle of 1/8 inch thickness, add about 1/6 of the fruit mix onto the dough rectangle and spread nice and even.
8. Fold the dough lengthwise into the center of your pastry. Fold the other side in slightly past center, and press seam lightly together.
9. Pinch ends closed.
10. Lift the loaf with a spatula and place on lightly greased cookie sheet with seam under.
11. Hint: (I roll on parchment paper and fill as said above then move parchment paper and all to cookie sheet and cook on cookie sheet. No need to grease cookie sheet.)
12. Bake in 400 degree oven for 18 - 20 minutes or until a golden brown,  Let cool overnight on parchment paper.
13.  Make a glaze: With confectioners sugar add Vanilla, almond or lemon flavor.  Glaze texture should have the consistency able for brushing top of loaf.
14.  Then add sprinkles as desired. 
15. After loaf dried, cut crosswise slices about 1 inch thick