Bugia Recipes

CENCI DI CARNEVALE (ITALIAN FRIED PASTRIES FOR CARNIVAL)

Steps:

• Put the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and orange zest in a bowl and stir until fully combined. Add the butter and crumb it into the flour using your hands until it resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre of the flour for the liquids.
• In a small bowl mix the eggs, vanilla and liqueur together. Pour them into the flour mixture and stir to combine everything together with a fork.
• Once a rough dough starts to form, use your hands to knead it for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap it in plastic wrap and leave it to rest for 30 minutes.
• Once rested, cut the cenci dough in half (wrap one half back up in plastic wrap). Flatten the piece of dough so it's thin enough to fit through the widest setting on your pasta machine.
• Sprinkle your work surface and pasta machine with a little flour. Pass the dough through the widest setting then continue to pass the dough through your machine whilst going up one number at a time until the dough is almost paper-thin. You may need to cut the dough in half if it gets too long so it's easier to manage.
• On most pasta machines number 0 is the widest setting and number 9 is the thinnest. I go up to number 8. The thinner the dough the crispier your cenci will be.
• Using a knife of fluted pasta cutter cut the cenci into strips about 2 inches wide then cut a slit in the middle of each one making sure not to cut all the way to the edges. This is a traditional way of cutting them but you can cut them into any rough shape you like.
• Heat the sunflower oil in a large heavy-bottom based pan, the oil should be around 2 inches deep.
• If you have a sugar thermometer it should be around 180-190C (350-375F). If not test a small piece of dough, if lots of bubbles surround the dough and it turns golden within a few seconds, the oil is ready.
• Fry the cenci in batches for a few seconds on each side until golden brown and bubbly. Drain them on kitchen paper as you go.
• Once cooled, arrange them on a serving plate and dust with powdered sugar.

BUGIA

Steps:

• Sift the flour with the baking powder, salt, and sugar and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together the eggs, butter, orange juice, brandy, vanilla, and anise seeds until well blended.
• Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix on low speed until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and adheres to the paddle.
• Remove the dough from the bowl onto a floured board.
• Knead by hand until smooth.
• Form the dough into a ball, flatten slightly, and place in a bowl.
• Cover with a tea towel and chill at least 2 hours or up to overnight to allow the dough to relax.
• Heat the oil in a deep fryer or deep pot to 350 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, cut the dough into 4 or 6 equal pieces.
• Keeping the dough and work surface well floured, pass the dough through the widest setting of a pasta machine 3 or 4 times.
• Then pass through successively narrower settings until the dough is almost thin enough to see through; These can also be rolled by hand- they will not be as thin, but they will be just as good.
• Cut the dough into long strips 3 inches wide, then cut the strips on the diagonal into pieces about 3 inches long.
• If the dough tears, cut it off and work it back into the dough.
• The cookies curl when they fry, so fancier shapes are not important.
• As the cookies are cut, transfer them to baking sheets lined with flour-dusted tea towels, and cover with tea towels so they won't dry out before frying.
• Fry in batches, turning once, until puffed and golden brown, about 1 minute.
• Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• While the cookies are still hot, dust them well with powdered sugar.
• Wait for a few minutes while the oil and heat absorb and melt most of this first coating.
• Dust well a second time until the cookies are quite white.
• The cookies will keep for a week or so in an airtight container.
• You may need to re-dust them with sugar before serving.