Struffoli

[kirra]

Struffoli
Christmas Honey Fritters
Mario Batali

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
5 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
Grated zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 1 lemon
Grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon limoncello or grand Marnier
4 cups extra-virgin olive oil, for deep-frying
2 cups honey
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Preparation:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, eggs, yolk, half the lemon zest, the orange zest, salt, and limoncello. Stir with a wooden spoon to mix well, then knead into a firm dough, 8 to 10 minutes. Cover and allow to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Cut the dough into golf ball–sized pieces. One at a time, roll each one into a 1/2-inch-thick rope, and cut into 1/2-inch-long pieces, and roll each piece into a ball. Place in a floured tray.

In a large deep pot, heat the oil to 375°F. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, fry the balls until dark golden brown, using a slotted spoon to turn them often; they will puff up while cooking. As they finish, transfer them to a tray lined with paper towels, to drain.

When all of the struffoli are cooked, combine the honey, lemon juice, and the remaining lemon zest in a wide 6-to 8-quart pot until quite warm (about 150°F) and substantially thinner. Add the struffoli and stir carefully until well coated. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pot, stirring frequently.

Pour out the stroffoli onto a large serving tray in the form of a pyramid or a ring. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and serve.