Turtlitt - Fritters for Carnevale
There's no getting around it; January and February are dreary months in much of Italy, especially the Centro-Nord. Little wonder then that people would devise all sorts of pastries and treats to add some cheer to their days, and a holiday too -- Carnevale, or Shrove Tuesday, which is the occasion for wild parties (the Venetians, who celebrated most of all, used to say that anything done while hiding one's face behind a mask didn't count...). These Turtlitt are instead treats from Romagna, and well suited to kids of all ages. To make enough for about 10 people, you'll need:
See Also
About Carnevale And Other Recipes
On Mostarda
Venice and Carnival Masks
Make a mound of the flour on your work surface, and scoop a well in the middle. Fill the well with the eggs, sugar, and bits of butter, and work the mixture until you have a smooth homogeneous dough.
In a bowl, combine the finely crumbled amaretti with the chopped mostarda, rum, and chocolate. Mix well, until you obtain a firm, homogenous mixture.
Roll the dough out to a thickness of 3/4 inch (2 cm), and cut the sheet into strips about 2 fingers wide.
Put a teaspoon of the filling about an inch from the end of each strip, and fold the ends over to cover the filling. Cut the filled bits free with a serrated pastry wheel, tamp them down to seal in the filling, and repeat the process until you have finished dough and filling. Fry the turtlitt in hot oil until golden, drain them well on absorbent paper, and dust them with confectioner's sugar.
The note about Mostarda: It's candied fruit in a syrup that gains considerable kick from mustard oil. You could substitute for it by stirring a couple of teaspoons of powdered mustard seed into a sweet syrup along the lines of corn syrup, filling a jar with chopped candied fruit, and adding the flavored syrup to cover. Let the mixture sit for a few days before you use it.
See Also
About Carnevale And Other Recipes
On Mostarda
Venice and Carnival Masks
Ingredients
- ** The Dough **
- 8 1/3 cups (1 k) flour
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) unsalted butter, reduced to bits
- Abundant oil or lard for frying
- ** The Filling **
- 4 ounces (100 g) amaretti (crunchy almond macaroons), finely crumbled
- 1 1/8 pound (500 g) mustarda, drained and chopped into bits -- a jar, and see note below
- A small glass of rum
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- Confectioner's sugar for dusting
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
Preparation
Make a mound of the flour on your work surface, and scoop a well in the middle. Fill the well with the eggs, sugar, and bits of butter, and work the mixture until you have a smooth homogeneous dough.
In a bowl, combine the finely crumbled amaretti with the chopped mostarda, rum, and chocolate. Mix well, until you obtain a firm, homogenous mixture.
Roll the dough out to a thickness of 3/4 inch (2 cm), and cut the sheet into strips about 2 fingers wide.
Put a teaspoon of the filling about an inch from the end of each strip, and fold the ends over to cover the filling. Cut the filled bits free with a serrated pastry wheel, tamp them down to seal in the filling, and repeat the process until you have finished dough and filling. Fry the turtlitt in hot oil until golden, drain them well on absorbent paper, and dust them with confectioner's sugar.
The note about Mostarda: It's candied fruit in a syrup that gains considerable kick from mustard oil. You could substitute for it by stirring a couple of teaspoons of powdered mustard seed into a sweet syrup along the lines of corn syrup, filling a jar with chopped candied fruit, and adding the flavored syrup to cover. Let the mixture sit for a few days before you use it.
Source...