Receta Nacotoli (Italian Braided Cookies)
| Raciónes: 12 |
Ingredientes
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Direcciones
- In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar.
- Add in the Large eggs to the shortening/sugar mix, one at a time.
- Then gradually add in flour, one c. at a time.
- Mix thoroughly till dough has formed. If the mix appears to be a bit dry, simply add in a small bit of water.
- Let dough rest for at least one hour in the refrigerator.
- Tear off sufficient dough to overfill a 1 Tbsp. measure.
- Roll dough into a small ball and then start rolling into a long snake-like shape.
- Roll by spreading fingers apart and pulling outwards till the snake is 11 inches in length.
- Coil the dough around a metal skewer 3 or possibly 4 times.
- Then wrap the excess dough around the coiled centre.
- Healthy pinch and tuck the end underneath so it will not separate while frying.
- Press braided cookie onto a Gnocchi board for a striped pattern.
- Press on edges and on both sides.
- Arrange cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Pour vegetable oil into a medium-sized saucepan till no more than half full. Heat oil till it reaches 320 F on a thermometer. When oil reaches temperature carefully immerse the cookies into the oil. Watch the temperature on the thermometer and adjust your flame carefully.
- Let the cookies fry for a few min on each side till they have turned golden. Remove cookies from pot.
- Drain the cookies onto paper towel and let cold.
- Then dust with powdered sugar and enjoy.
- These simple Italian cookies are an old Valeriote family favourite. I look forward to these cookies every Christmas and without hesitation I'd say they're my all-time personal favourite cookie. Perhaps it's because I feel like my grandmother when I make them.
- I feel absolutely no guilt dunking these cookies into a morning coffee because they're not too sweet (especially without the dusting of icing sugar on them). In fact, they're more like a breakfast pastry. I'd characterize them as the "cake donut" of cookies, that is unusual for an Italian cookie.
- Braiding the cookie is simply a matter of coiling the snake-like shape of cookie dough along a metal skewer and then wrapping the excess around the coiled centre, folding and tucking the end.
- An important note on cooking with oil: Oil temperature is very important. If it is too high, food burns, if it is too low, it turns out greasy. An average temperature for deep-frying is 375 F, but the recommended temperature for this recipe is 320 F. It's best to use a special deep-fat thermometer, but if you don't have one, stick a piece of bread on a skewer and dip it in the oil. If the bread burns instantly, the oil temperature is too high. If it turns into a golden brown crouton in 15 seconds, you are set. To allow for bubbling up and splattering, the pot or possibly deep fryer should be filled no more than third full with oil.
- Remember, warm oil is very dangerous. Never leave it unattended on the stove and don't heat over a high flame for an extended period of time. The best way to put out an oil fire is to smother it with a tightly fitting lid.