CookEat Recipe
Cenci Fried Pastry Ribbons
Thin strips of firm egg dough, slit and twisted into loose shapes, deep-fried and dusted with icing sugar after cooling slightly.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Gather the ingredients: 260 g plain flour: 240 g for the dough and up to 20 g for adjusting and rolling; 20 g butter, softened; 20 g caster sugar; 2 eggs; 1 tablespoon plain grape brandy; A pinch of salt; About 1 litre olive oil for frying; 25 g icing sugar for finishing.
Step 2
Combine the 240 g dough flour, butter, caster sugar, eggs, brandy and salt. Knead thoroughly by hand for about 10–15 minutes to make a smooth, fairly firm dough. If too soft to work, add a little of the reserved flour. Dust lightly, wrap in a clean cloth and cover so it cannot dry out. Rest for about 30 minutes. If a dry skin forms, knead it back in before rolling.
Step 3
Roll thinly on a lightly floured surface, about 2 mm thick. With a knife or scalloped pastry wheel, cut strips roughly 18–20 cm long and 3–4 cm wide. Make one or two lengthwise slits in each strip, keeping the ends intact, and loosely thread, fold or twist the strips into irregular shapes.
Step 4
Heat the olive oil in a deep heavy pan about 20 cm across to 170°C; it should be deep enough for the ribbons to float freely and must not fill the pan more than halfway. Fry only a few at a time for about 1–2 minutes on each side, until pale golden, blistered and cooked through. Turn with tongs and adjust the heat to avoid browning too quickly.
Step 5
Drain on kitchen paper or a rack. When no longer piping hot, dust with the icing sugar. Serve soon after frying for a crisp texture; the batch makes one large plate for about eight people.
Step 6
For the traditional rendered-lard frying option, replace the olive oil with enough rendered lard to give the same depth when melted, approximately 900 g for the suggested pan. Use the same 170°C temperature, small batches, floating clearance, draining and icing-sugar finish. The dough quantities and method stay the same.
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