Clothespin Cookies

Use well-greased peg-type wooden clothespin as a mold for these delicate cookie tubes. You may have to search for the wooden clothespin (nowadays most are plastic), but these cookies are worth the effort.

Soften yeast in warm milk; set aside.

In a large bowl cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add yeast mixture, eggs, sugar, and salt. Mix well. Form into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Next day prepare the ricotta filling by blending all the filling ingredients together.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Divide dough in half. Roll out each half on a floured board to make a 10-inch square.

Cut into 14 strips, each 10 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. Wrap each strip in a spiral around the length of a well-greased wooden clothespin, overlapping edges slightly. Roll in green and red sugar; if desired.

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 300 degrees F for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

Remove clothespin carefully; cool cookies on a rack.

Using a pastry bag with wide opening, pipe the filling into cookies.