Sweet Abruzzese torcinelli are prepared for Christmas Eve, but actually, from December 8, any occasion is good to prepare them.
There is also a savory version that I will soon show you.
These fried treats are found in various small variations depending on the Abruzzo area we go to; in some places, they are made only savory, while in others, they add raisins to the sweet version. In short, “different strokes for different folks”!
In the past, this dough was fried in those black pans that were used only for frying and retained the flavor of everything that had passed through it, but nowadays it is better to use a high-edged steel pan, or at least a suitable frying pan.
At this point, all that’s left is to make the recipe, and I’m sure you’ll make it again every Christmas!
Approx. 750 Kcal per person
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas
Ingredients
- 6 1/3 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/2 oz Fresh yeast
- 7 oz Potatoes (weight after peeled)
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 1 3/4 cups Water
- Orange zest
- Peanut oil (for frying)
- 1/3 cup Powdered sugar
- Ground cinnamon (optional)
Preparation of Sweet Abruzzese Torcinelli
First peel the potatoes and cut them into large pieces, boil them until they can be mashed.
In a bowl, put the lukewarm water and dissolve the crumbled yeast, then add a little flour and, while stirring, add the sugar, grated orange peel, and salt, and complete the dough by adding all the remaining flour until you get a homogeneous, non-sticky ball.
Let it rise, covered, in a warm place for at least 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Once risen, prepare a pan with plenty of seed oil (the original recipe calls for olive oil), once the oil is very hot, set the gas to medium flame and start cooking.
Take portions of risen dough with oiled hands and stretch them to form twists.
Your hands will get a bit messy, so it’s best to do it in pairs, one person shapes the twists with messy hands, and the other controls the frying.
Fry and drain well on absorbent paper, then sprinkle with powdered sugar and ground cinnamon (optional).
In some recipes, depending on the area of Abruzzo where this recipe is prepared, they add soaked and drained sultanas.
For now, try my version and let me know in the comments if you liked the recipe!!!
