Recipe

Struffoli - - Neapolitan Christmas Treats Recipe

Add Step-by-Step Photos	Chef2 / All my dishes 2 years ago 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 Prep:8m Cook:10m Servings:8	Chef2
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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

PREPARATION:

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.

The recipe:

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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