Pignolata al miele

 

Curiosity:

Pignolata is a typical sweet that is prepared during Carnival in Sicily.  Usually, instead of honey, one can put on chocolate or lemon glaze. The chocolate or lemon icing is typical called Pignolata Messinese.

 

Ingredients

4 eggs,
250ml of milk,
100gr of butter,
300gr sugar,
1 sachet of baking powder,
1 sachet of vanilla,
the zest of a bio lemon,
1kg of pastry flour (usually the recipe requests about 300/400 gr more),
and
500gr of honey,
oil to fry (I prefer bio-olive oil, that is the one I use to fry these delicacies).

 

Method:

Sift the flour, then make a well in the center. In the middle put the baking powder, eggs, sugar and butter (melted in a bain-marie). Mix everything up till you get a smoothed soft mixture (if nessary add other baking powder).
Leave it stand for 1 hour.
Then take some small piece of the mixture and work it till you get some cylinders with a diameter less than 1cm and cut at the length of 2/3 cm.
Deep-fry in oil.
(Note: The small pieces will increase, so decide which pan is more appropiate).
Wait until cool.
Then melt the honey in a separate pan, put the cylinders inside and mix all together.
Put everything in a tray and if you want to add some color add sprinkles on top.
Pignolata is ready!

 

Hint:

You can choose among acacia honey, citrus honey or wildflowers honey; I prefer the first and the second one, but for this recipe I used acacia
This sweet is perfect for every moment of the years. You can enjoy it with a cup of tea or as dessert after meal with friends.
Also kids will like it.