Cartellate
I present the typical Christmas dessert in Puglia: rose-shaped dough that is fried and traditionally dipped in vincotto—a sweet, cooked grape syrup. In this recipe, we're dipping it in honey.
Add <quantity>500<unit>g</unit></quantity> of durum wheat flour to a medium bowl. Make a hole in the center using a fork and add <quantity>100<unit>ml</unit></quantity> of rosé wine
Add <quantity>50<unit>ml</unit></quantity> of extra virgin olive oil and <quantity>2</quantity> pinches of salt
Mix the dough with a fork to obtain a wet sand texture. Add <quantity>50<unit>ml</unit></quantity> of rosé wine and knead to form a ball. Add more olive oil and rose wine, if needed, for the dough to come together
Cover the dough and let it rest for 30m
Cut around ½ of the dough and flatten it enough to go through a pasta sheeter
Run the doubt through the pasta sheeter, starting with the widest thickness and reducing until you obtain an even <quantity>50<unit>cm</unit></quantity> long rectangle
Divide the rectangle in half lengthwise and trim the edges using a fluted blade pastry cutter
Cut strips of <quantity>2<unit>cm</unit></quantity> of each rectangle
Pinch the strips together with your fingers, forming small chains with conche-shaped pieces
Roll the chains onto themselves, pressing lightly on the edges to glue one side to the other, until you get little rosettes. Be careful to leave the little conche shapes wide open
Repeat the process with all the dough. Transfer the roses to a kitchen towel or a pasta drying net and let them dry for 2h
Fill a frying pan with enough vegetable oil to fry the dough. Preheat over medium heat to <temperature>170<unit>°C</unit></temperature>
When you add a piece of dough and the oil bubbles gently, it's ready for frying. Fry all the roses until golden brown. Transfer to plate with paper towel to drain the excess oil
Add <quantity>5<unit>tbsp</unit></quantity> of honey and <quantity>3<unit>tbsp</unit></quantity> of water to a small saucepan
Warm up over low heat just until the honey is dissolved. Dip the cartellate in the hot honey with the help of tongs and transfer them to a serving plate
Sprinkle it with cinnamon powder to taste. The cartellate is ready
Enjoy while still warm!
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