Crostoli

These light, airy fried cookies are an Italian holiday favorite, especially at Carnevale time. “Carnaval” is a party held traditionally in Roman Catholic societies, forty days before Easter, and right before Lent.

1 full tablespoon of sugar
lemon peel
250 grams of flour (a little over one cup)
1 egg
50 grams of soft butter (3.5 tablespoons)
4 tablespoons of Marsala liquor
A tiny pinch of salt
2 or 3 tablespoons of milk
Icing (confectioner's) sugar, for sprinkling on top

Mix sugar and lemon peel in a mixer, then add the rest of the ingredients. Work them until you have a soft ball of dough. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough to ½ millimeter thickness, or even less if you prefer crunchy Crostoli. Cut the dough in triangles or irregular geometric shapes.

Let them sizzle in hot oil (no olive oil!!!), a few at a time, flipping them from one side to the other. When they get crisp and the oil stops bubbling around them, put them on a dish with blotting paper to eliminate the rest of the oil. Let them cool, then sprinkle icing sugar on top. Enjoy and happy Carnival!