Neapolitan Struffoli

Name: Neapolitan Struffoli (Struffoli di Napoli)
Yield: Serves 10
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: Olive oil or lard for deep-frying; Grated rind of 1 orange; A pinch of salt; 50 g (2 oz) cedro, cut into small cubes; 25 g (1 oz) small sugar silver balls; 250 g (9 oz) honey; Rind of 1 tangerine, cut into very thin strips; Grated rind of 1 lemon; 1 tablespoon pure alcohol (if not available, use strong vodka); 5 medium eggs; 3 tablespoons granulated sugar; 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) doppio zero (00) flour; 2 tablespoons water; 100 g (4 oz) caster sugar

Struffoli di Napoli

Preparation info

Serves
10

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Antonio Carluccio's Southern Italian Feast

By Antonio Carluccio

Published 1998

About

The origin of this classic recipe is the fruit of the imagination of the once poor people of Naples who make this dessert with fried pastry pellets substituting the more expensive hazelnuts. The recipe has a touch of Arabic influence to it due to frying in oil and flavouring with honey.

Ingredients

5 medium eggs
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
500 g (

Europe
Italy
Naples
Dessert
Mediterranean
Vegetarian

Method

To make the dough, beat the eggs lightly with the sugar, then mix in the flour, orange and lemon zest, alcohol and salt. Knead well for 3–4 minutes, then shape into a ball. Cover and leave to rest for 2 hours in a cool place.

Take a little bit of dough at a time and roll with your hand into sausage shapes about 1 cm (½ inch) thick. Cut into pieces 1 cm (½ inch) long. It