TRADITIONAL ITALIAN RECIPE: As much as I love deep fried sweets I really try to limit their appearance in my kitchen to a few occasions each year. Resisting is hard, but not having the need to gain a few kilos seems to do the trick.
When carnival comes though, "resistance is futile". Every year I feel the need to go back to those unctuous, sweet taste I loved as a kid.
Castagnole are traditional deep-fried Doughnuts about the size of a Chestnut ( hence the name ) and sometimes filled with patisserie cream.
These particular fritters are usually sold in all the pasticcerias from Epiphany to Ash Wednesday.
Originating in Emilia-Romagna Region, Castagnole are prepared and enjoyed in many Italian regions even though the name may be different and the recipe is twisted a little.
The word castagna means chestnut, and these fritters do vaguely resemble a chestnut in size and shape. Since they're fairly firm, they can be made in advance if need be.
Essentially catagnole are made up of a an egg and fat enriched dough, which might contain baking powder, flavored with aniseed liqueur (or other) and eventually lemon zest, and fried till golden.
Somewhat unusual for a fried food, these actually taste better once they cool down, giving them the chance to bring out the subtle flavor of the liqueur. If fried at the right temperature they absorb very little fat, so once cold they do not have that disturbing excessively greasy taste.
Skill Level:  |
Time: 30 Minutes |
Price:  |
Makes: 30 Balls |
Ingredients:
| Conversions |
Directions:
01 - Combine in a bowl Flour, Eggs, Sugar, Butter, Vanilla, Salt, Zest, Liquor and Yeast. Mix and knead the Dough on a floured surface untill soft and smooth.
02 - Let the Dough rest for 5~10 minutes.
03 - Cut the Dough and roll each piece to make long ropes a couple of centimeters / about 1 inch thick.
04 - Heat some Oil in a deep pot.
05 - Cut the ropes into small pieces and roll each piece by hands forming small Dough Balls.
06 - Fry the Dough Balls until until golden, puffed up and come up to surface.
07 - Remove from Oil and let the Castagnole dry on some kitchen paper.
08 - Dust some Sugar. Serve.
Notes:
- If you don't have Anise Liquor, you can use Orange.
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