Fried Ribbon Cookies

Name: Fried Ribbon Cookies
Yield: makes about 40 cookies
Ingredients: 6 tablespoons very soft butter; 1/3 cup sugar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup milk; 1 large egg; 1 egg yolk; 3 tablespoons dark rum; 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (about 2 teaspoons); Finely grated zest of 1 orange (about 2 tablespoons); 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed; 6 to 8 cups vegetable oil for frying, or as needed; 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, or as needed; A food processor, a rolling pin, and a fluted pastry cutter for mixing and rolling the dough; A 10-inch saucepan or sauté pan with 4-inch sides for frying the crostoli

December 14, 2011

In Padova, Treviso, and Venice (and elsewhere in Italy), sugar-dusted mounds of these fried cookies are served at weddings and holiday celebrations. They’re essential at pre-Lenten festivities. In the Veneto, it just wouldn’t be Carnevale without lots of crostoli! At our house, these are a favorite treat all year around. The dough is easy to mix in the food processor, and it’s fun for the whole family to make little ribbons and tie them in a knot. Make the cookies a few days in advance if you prefer, and powder with sugar just before serving.

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