Thursday, December 20, 2018

Making struffoli for the holidays

An Italian tradition that my father and mother followed each Christmas when we were children--making struffoli. They made it together, sitting at the dining room table. My mother would roll out the dough, and my father would cut small pieces of the dough and roll them into small balls that my mother would fry in peanut oil. Once they were drained and cooled, she would pile them all together on a big plate and cover them with honey and some candy sprinkles. Struffoli are to die for, and we loved them. We could never really get enough of them. They're sticky, gooey and wonderful.

Here is a photo of struffoli that resembles the struffoli my parents made, and a recipe for struffoli that my parents used. 














This is the struffoli recipe my parents used (from my father's mother who was born in Caserta, Italy, very near Naples):

  • Mix 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour and 1/4 tsp salt.
  • Add 4 beaten eggs, slowly, and then 1/2 tsp vanilla. Mix to make a soft dough. 
  • Turn dough onto a lightly-floured board. Knead, then divide dough in half. Roll each half to form 1/4-inch wide long strips. 
  • Cut each strip into pieces 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. Roll into small balls. 
  • Fill a 2-quart saucepan up to the halfway mark with peanut oil. Fry as many of the small balls as can float, over medium heat. Fry until brown. 
  • Drain the struffoli on absorbent paper. Let cool. 
  • Place the contents of a 16-ounce jar of honey in a small saucepan. Add 2 tsp sugar. Boil until clear. 
  • Take the cooled struffoli and dip pieces in the clear honey, arrange them on a plate, and cover with candy sprinkles. 



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