CROSTOLI: A PERFECTLY CRISP CARNEVALE TREAT

It's Carnevale time. It is the period falling right before Lent when we Italians indulge in rich foods. Kids (and sometimes adults) we dress up for Carnevale and even go to school and local parades, all dressed up.! And of course in Venice there is our  famous Carnival that attracts thousand of tourists.

To savoring the festivities are some delicious Carnevale treats, like the , frittelle, castagnole, and crostoli. My mom usually makes one batch of each and they all disappear pretty quickly. Crostoli are the treat that goes the quickest, as they are utterly and sneakingly addictive!

For us in Italy, making crostoli is a family affair. Since it happens once a year, everybody is happy to help! Plus, additional manpower is always needed because it can easily turn into an assembly line: roll, cut, fry, dust, repeat. But it's all worth it as the results are to die for.

The crostoli are made simply of eggs, flour, butter, and sugar, crostoli are perfectly crisp and delicate sheets of fried dough, dusted in powdered sugar. Their popularity is proven by the variety of names they carry throughout Italy:  frappe, bugie, chiacchere, galani, lasagne, cenci, lattughe, sfrappole — just to name a few! In the region of Friuli, Veneto and Trentino Alto Adige, we call them “crostoli”.

·   TIPS FOR AWESOME CROSTOLI

·       HELP: If possible, get another person to help you. While one rolls the dough and cuts it, the other one fries it (it’s also possible to do it all on your own, if you work in small batches).

·       DOUGH: Roll out your dough into a paper-thin, almost see-through sheet, using a pasta machine. Start from the widest settings, and work your way to the thinnest (I usually go from 3, to 5, to 7). Always cover the rolled doughwaiting to be fried, so it doesn’t become dry. 

·       ALCOHOL: Do not skip the alcohol, as it works as a leavening agent and it also helps to add more flavor. We used a plum grappa we had in the cabinet, but you could definitely use Marsala, brandy, or rum.

·       DEEP-FRYING: Use peanut oil for crispier and lighter results. Start deep-frying only when the oil reaches the ideal temperature ( 175°C/ 345°F). Don’t overcrowd the frying pan: fry only 3-4 crostoli at a time.

Before leaving you to the recipe, let me share with you my very own way to measure “crostoli success”:  if you make a big mess when you bite into it, you pretty much nailed it! The more crumbs (and powdered sugar), the better.  

Here we go.

 Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes

 Cutting / Frying Time 1 hour

Ingredients

·       400 g bread flour sifted

·       100 g pastry flour sifted

·       60 g granulated sugar

·       1 orange zested

·       4 g salt

·       4 eggs lightly beaten

·       60 g butter melted

·       50 g plum grappa (can sub with Marsala, rum, or brandy)

·       peanut oil for frying 

·       powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

1.     CROSTOLI DOUGH: In a medium-sized bowl, combine both types of flours, sugar, salt, and orange zest. Using a fork, whisk in the lightly beaten eggs with rest of the dry ingredients. While whisking, gradually add the melted butter and the grappa (or your liqueur of choice). Transfer your dough onto a clean work surface and start kneading until you obtain a smooth ball. For better results, beat the heck out your dough ball with a rolling pin a few times (10, 20?). Wrap the dough ball in plastic film and let it rest for 1 hour at room temperature. 

2.     ROLL & CUT: Divide the dough into 8 smaller portions and keep the unused portions covered with a kitchen towel. 

Roll: Using a pasta machine, roll out one portion, dusting it with flour at every passage. Starting from a wide setting, feed the dough through the pasta machine 2-3 times, folding the dough to obtain an even rectangle. Work your way to a very thin setting (I usually go from 3, to 5, to 7). 

Cut: Cut the thin sheet of rolled dough into rectangles, about 6-7 cm (2.5-3 inches) wide. Cut a slit lengthways along the center of each rectangle (this will help avoid big bubbles during frying). 

Cover: Cover the rolled dough with a kitchen towel so it doesn't dry out. If you don’t have anybody helping you, proceed to frying as the rolled dough shouldn’t rest too long. You'll then repeat the whole process, working in batches.

3.     DEEP-FRY: Pour about 5 cm/ 2 inches of peanut oil in a medium-sized saucepan and set it over medium heat. When the oil temperature registers 175 C/ 345 F, start frying your crostoli (3–4 at a time). When they are light gold and crisp, drain them with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a tray lined with paper towel. Dust with powdered sugar. Repeat with the the rest of the dough, working in batches, and reheating oil in between. 

Crostoli are best enjoyed within the first 2-3 days. Keep them covered with a paper towel so they stay fragrant and crispy. 

Buon appetito e buon Carnevale a tutti.

Giada

Join me on my trip to Italy with Perillo Tour for the most amazing time, with wine testing, cooking classes, concerts and sight seeing. 

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