It’s Carnival Day, the perfect time for a delicious Cicerchiata!
Cicerchiata is a typical Italian sweet, recognized as a traditional food of Abruzzo, Marche and Molise but also widespread in Umbria through inward migration. According to the Atlas of traditional products of Abruzzo (ARSSA), the origin of the product would be found in Abruzzo, in particular in the Sangro area, where the development of beekeeping helps produce high-quality honey. Despite the preparation process is slightly different, cicerchiata has also some similarities with the Greek loukoumades.
Try this easy recipe by Abruzzo4foodies © and celebrate Mardi Gras with a typical sweet from Abruzzo. As often happens with traditional food, there are variants that add different ingredients to the basic recipe, if you live outside Italy you may want to have a look at my friend Majella Home Cooking’s version of it.
Ingredients for la Cicerchiata (serves 6-8)
300 gr white flour
30 gr butter
30 gr sugar
2 eggs
dry white wine
olive oil for frying
candied fruit, chopped coarsely
colored sprinkles
120 gr honey
120 gr sugar
Instructions
In a large bowl, pour the flour and add the softened butter, eggs and sugar, pour the wine as necessary and work until the dough is smooth but firm. Stretch the dough into a snake shape (the size should be that of a pencil) and cut into small pieces, work them until you get the balls the size of a small hazelnut. In a pan fry the little balls in hot olive oil, drain and dry on a paper sheet. In another pan caramelize sugar with honey until they get colored, add the previously fried dough balls and stir with a wooden spoon. On a platter, lay the mixture giving it a rounded shape, decorate with sprinkles and candied fruit. Cicerchiata can be served cold.
Pairing suggestion
I recently tasted the amazing Rudhir Chardonnay Histonium, produced by Jasci & Marchesani winery in Vasto. It is a yellow-gold organic wine from Chardonnay grapes, aged for 18 months in acacia barriques, with an intense bouquet of honey and apple jam (14% volume, service temperature 14 °C).
Cheers!
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Abruzzo4foodies 
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