Sal De Riso’s Castagnole.
Simple, ultra-soft, delicious.
Sal De Riso’s Castagnole are small balls of unique goodness, easy to make, as soft as clouds, fragrant and so delicious they are worse than cherries, one leads to another.
Unlike the usual castagnole, these are even more delicious thanks to the hazelnuts and limoncello in the dough, and they have a citrusy aroma that immediately transports the mind to the Amalfi Coast. Try them, and they’ll win you over at first bite.
This year I’m making castagnole and chiacchiere from great Italian pastry chefs, and after trying the delicious ones by Iginio Massari, here I am with these by Sal De Riso. In the end, the dough in terms of quantities is quite similar, but the taste and aroma are completely different. Try both versions, and you’ll see how good they are 🙂
Also try:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup hazelnuts (shelled and toasted)
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 2 oz limoncello
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 7 tbsp butter
- grated zest of 1 untreated lemon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- as needed peanut oil
- as needed granulated sugar (or powdered sugar)
Tools
- 1 Electric Whisk
- 1 Blender
- 1 Pastry Board
- 1 Pan
Steps
Melt the butter and let it cool.
Meanwhile, put the hazelnuts together with 80 g of sugar taken from the total in a blender, and blend until it becomes a fine powder.
Sift the flour and baking powder, add the hazelnut flour, and mix everything together; set aside.
In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer if you are using one, place the eggs, remaining sugar, salt, and grated lemon zest, and work them for 5 minutes with the whisk until you obtain a light and frothy mixture.
Gradually add the mixed flours, alternating with milk, cold butter, and limoncello. Once the dough becomes thick, continue kneading briefly by hand (or with the K attachment) if using the stand mixer.
Transfer the mixture onto a lightly floured pastry board and knead it until you obtain a very soft but non-sticky dough (if needed, add a bit more flour).
The dough is now ready; wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for an hour.
Retrieve the dough, knead it lightly, then take a small piece, roll it into a strip about three-quarters of an inch thick on the pastry board, and cut it into pieces of the same thickness.
With your hands, shape the pieces into many small balls (make sure to make them fairly small, as they will puff up during cooking).
Place them on a lightly floured cloth as you go.
Once all the castagnole are ready, heat peanut oil in a pan with high sides and a thick bottom (to maintain the temperature). As soon as it reaches 338°F, you can fry your castagnole a few at a time (you can check if the oil is at the right temperature by placing a small piece of dough in it; if it rises to the surface immediately and many bubbles form around it, it’s at the right temperature). The castagnole should cook while floating on the oil; make sure they brown evenly on both sides.
Drain them on paper towels, and once they are dry but still warm, roll them in granulated sugar.
Sal De Riso’s castagnole are ready to be enjoyed… Enjoy your dessert!
Melt the butter and let it cool.
In the meantime, place the peeled almonds together with 80 g of sugar taken from the total in the bowl, 30 SecVel 7, keep the obtained flour aside in a bowl.
Sift the flour and baking powder, add the freshly prepared hazelnut flour, and mix everything together.
Without washing the bowl, add the eggs, salt, remaining sugar, and grated lemon zest 50 SecVel 5.
Also add the butter, limoncello, and milk 30 SecVel 5.
Add the mixed powders 4 minutesDough setting.
Transfer the mixture onto a lightly floured pastry board and knead it until you obtain a very soft but non-sticky dough (if needed, add a bit more flour).
The dough is now ready; wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for an hour.
Retrieve the dough, knead it lightly, then take a small piece, roll it into a strip about three-quarters of an inch thick on the pastry board, and cut it into pieces of the same thickness.
With your hands, shape the pieces into many small balls (make sure to make them fairly small, as they will puff up during cooking).
Place them on a lightly floured cloth as you go.
Once all the castagnole are ready, heat peanut oil in a pan with high sides and a thick bottom (to maintain the temperature). As soon as it reaches 338°F, you can fry your castagnole a few at a time (you can check if the oil is at the right temperature by placing a small piece of dough in it; if it rises to the surface immediately and many bubbles form around it, it’s at the right temperature). The castagnole should cook while floating on the oil; make sure they brown evenly on both sides.
Drain them on paper towels, and once they are dry but still warm, roll them in granulated sugar.
Sal De Riso’s castagnole are ready to be enjoyed… Enjoy your dessert!
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