Castagnole—fried sweet dough balls—are so common in Italy during Carnevale. These addictive fried Italian dough balls are soft inside and crunchy outside and dusted with confectioner's sugar before serving!
Ingredient
– 2 ¼ cup flour plu– 1 tsp. baking powder– Grated zest of 1 lemon– 4 Tbsp. butter– ½ cup sugar– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract– 2 large egg– ¼ cup milk– 2 cups of vegetable oil for deep-frying– Confectioner’s sugar
Direction
1
Whisk flour, baking powder, and lemon zest in a small bowl; set aside.
2
Stir butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Mix in milk. Mix all ingredients, including the lightly beaten eggs, with flour.
3
Place the dough on a lightly floured, clean surface and gently knead until combined, adding a spoonful of flour if sticky. Roll portions into 1-inch thick logs and cut into 1-inch pieces when the dough is smooth.
4
The remaining dough should be covered with a clean tea towel until use.
Oil your pan on medium-high heat. Add 8 dough balls at a time to 350F oil.
5
Turn them around while frying to color all sides and avoid raw centers. Transfer castagnole to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon.
After cooling, dust with confectioner's sugar.