With Easter around the corner, no Italian household would dare be without some dyed eggs, "pizza gaina" and, of course, some struffoli!!!! Struffoli is a dessert often served at Easter or Christmas. Imagine little fried balls of dough tossed in sweet honey and sprinkles...how could every adult and child NOT love this tradition?!?! Sometimes pine nuts and cherries are used as decoration, but most often you'll find these dough balls tossed in diavulilli or literally, "little devils!" In my house, they are actually eaten by little devils...five of them!!!!
I promise that if you serve these up this Easter, you do not have to toss anything in little devils if you do not want to, nor will your children turn into little devils. The struffoli, however, may be just the devilish temptation you'll spend the next year avoiding - until Christmas, that is!
YOU WILL NEED:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 1/2 cups honey
- 3/4 cup pine nuts (optional in my house)
- 2 1/4 ounces colored candy sprinkles
- What To Do:
- Melt the butter or margarine over low heat. Mix together in a large bowl 2-1/2 cups of the flour. Add sugar, baking powder, lemon rind and salt. Make a depression in the middle. Drop into it the eggs and the melted butter or margarine. Mix with a wooden spoon and then with the hands until dough leaves the sides of the bowl. Add remaining 1/2 cup of flour as needed. Knead dough on floured surface until it isn't sticky anymore.
- Break off pieces of dough and roll into ropes about the size of a pencil. Cut into pieces 1/4 inch long. Roll these pieces into little balls and set aside.
- In deep frying pan, heat oil about 2 inches deep. Fry balls until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring 1-1/2 cups of pure honey to a boil. Let honey boil gently for about 3 minutes before adding little dough balls, stirring gently with wooden spoon until they are well-coated.
- Remove balls from honey with a slotted spoon and place in a deep dish or mound them on a platter. Sprinkle surface evenly with nuts and multicolored sprinkles.
Recipe Courtesy of AllRecipes.com
