Preparing the Cartellate

• Heat the 2 fl oz of extra virgin olive oil with the mandarin peel cut into pieces. Turn off the heat and let it cool slightly.
  Place the flour in a large bowl, make a well in the center, pour in the strained flavored oil and start mixing with a fork until you have a sandy mixture.
  Incorporate a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt.
  Dissolve the baking powder in the 3.4 fl oz of white wine, mix well and add it to the flour mixture and knead, adding the other 1.7 fl oz of wine as needed, until you have a homogeneous, firm, and dry mixture, well compact.
  Form a dough ball and let it rest covered with a cloth for half an hour.

• At the end of the resting time, take the dough ball and cut it into pieces.
  Pass each piece through the pasta maker (also called “nonna papera”) at thickness 1, passing it several times until it is smooth and almost transparent, then pass it twice at setting 4, then once at 7 and the last time at 9.
  You will get a very thin sheet. Place it on the work surface and with a serrated wheel cut strips of 1.5 inches by 10 inches.
  Fold each rectangle in two and pinch it every two centimeters with wet fingertips to join the two edges, then roll up to form a kind of rose and with a little water seal the outer edge.
  Arrange the cartellate thus created on a tray lined with baking paper and let them rest for at least 5 hours in a cool and dry place.

• After resting, fry them in abundant hot oil until golden brown.
  Let them drain excess oil by placing them gently on a plate lined with paper towels or kitchen paper with the “bowls” side down to drain the frying oil well.
  When serving, heat the honey (or cooked wine) and dip the cartellate a few at a time, turning them gently and letting them be well covered and complete with colored sprinkles.

  Chez Bibia