Struffoli - - Neapolitan Christmas Treats |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes |
Ready In: 10 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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Old Christmas recipe in our home an absolute requirement at the end of a Neapolitan Christmas day dinner the holiday would not be the same Ingredients:
struffoli - - neapolitan christmas treats |
struffoli are (they're always referred to in the plural) now an absolute requirement at the end of a neapolitan christmas day dinner. however, in introducing them in la cucina napoletana, caròla francesconi says their inclusion is relatively recent -- crisci mentions them several times in the book he wrote in 1634, but doesn't include them in his christmas menu. to make a batch you will need |
ingredients |
** for the dough |
4 cups (400 g) flour |
4 eggs |
1 teaspoon grain alcohol |
a chunk of butter the size of a small walnut |
1 tablespoon sugar |
the zest of a half a lemon, grated |
the zest of half an orange, grated |
1 pinch salt |
1 pot full of olive oil for frying |
** for the seasoning (for want of a better term) |
3/4 pound (300 g) honey |
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar |
1/3 cup water |
2 ounces diavolilli (tiny, variously colored candied almonds) |
4 candied cherries, halved |
2 ounces (50 g) candied orange peel, half finely diced and half cut into fine strips |
2 ounces (50 g) candied citron, half finely diced and half cut into fine strips |
2 ounces (50 g) candied melon rind, half finely diced and half cut into fine strips |
Directions:
1. PREPARATION:
2. Continuing with the introduction, the recipe for struffoli is quite old, as is indicated by the presence of variations throughout the Mediterranean Basin - Ms. Francesconi mentions the Lukumates of the Greeks, and there are also the Precipizi Italian Jews make for Hanukkah.
3. The recipe:
4. Combine the ingredients for the dough to make a workable dough, knead it well, and let it sit for at least an hour, covered.
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