Crostoli are a crispy fried Italian pastry which are popular during Carnevale which occurs just before Lent. However these are also popular at Christmas and many other celebrations. These go by many names - Italian bow tie cookies, chiacchiere, angel wing cookies, bugie and more. Try stopping at just one - impossible!
1tablespoon(15 mls) brandy(see notes for substitutes)
1teaspoonvanilla extract
pinchsalt
2cupsgrape seed oil(for frying (rice bran or vegetable oil could be used))
powdered sugar(for dusting)
Instructions
To make the Crostoli dough - hand mixing method
Place the all purpose flour on a clean work surface.
Make a well in the centre. Add the eggs, egg yolk, sugar, butter, brandy, vanilla extract and salt.
Use your fingertips or a fork to gradually blend the wet ingredient slowly gathering in flour until the dough starts to come together. Add a little more brandy if needed to form a ball.
Knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Rest the dough for 30 minutes.
To make the Crostoli dough - stand mixer method
Place the all purpose flour in a stand mixer bowl and attach the paddle attachment.
Add the eggs, egg yolk, butter, brandy, sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Mix on low until combined.
Switch to dough hook attachment and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Rest the dough for 30 minutes.
To roll and prepare Crostoli for frying
Cut small portion of dough off the “mother” dough.
Flatten the smaller piece and begin to pass through the pasta machine on the widest setting.
Fold and pass it through the widest setting. Continue to fold and pass through the pasta machine 5 or 6 times until the dough is smooth.
Dust with extra flour as required.
Begin to reduce the setting until you are at the finest setting.
Pass the dough through the finest setting and place the length of dough on to you work surface. With the Kitchen Aid Pasta roller, I find I need to go through the thinest setting twice. You could also manually (but carefully) stretch the dough to ensure it is as thin.
Cut the dough along the length into about 2 inches (5 centimeter )strips which will be approximately 4 -6 inches (10-15 centimeters) long. This is just to give you an idea but really how you cut is up to you.
I make a small cut in the middle of each piece and twist one end through the cut, as you can see above.
To fry Crostoli
Heat oil in a heavy, high sided frypan.
When the oil is hot (350°F/180ºC) slip in 3 or 4 crostoli (or more depending on the diameter of the frypan).
Work quickly because they take about 30 seconds (or less) to cook on each side if you have the oil hot enough. Turn them (I like to use two forks) once a lot of bubbles have formed and before they colour too deeply. Crostoli should be light golden in colour. If they are brown, they are burnt.
When cooked on both sides, remove them and drain them on absorbent paper. Crostoli will be a little soft but will crispen on cooling. If crostoli take too long to cook it means that the oil is not hot enough and they will absorb too much oil resulting in heavy crostoli.
When cool, dust generously with powdered sugar.
Store in an airtight container for two weeks.
Video
Notes
Important point to remember:-
Use either salted or unsalted butter.
The dough should be soft but not sticky.
Roll the dough as thin as possible – almost see-through.
The oil must be hot – 350°F/180ºC.
Pastries must cook quickly so that they don’t absorb oil and become heavy.
Substitutes for brandy:-
You could use grappa, rum, whiskey, or even white wine.
Alcohol-free crostoli:-
While I have never made crostoli without alcohol, it is possible to substitute milk for the alcohol. The pastries may not bubble as well or have the same flavor but will still be delicious.
Nutrition facts are per serving and are approximate. It doesn't include oil for frying which is dependent on many factors.