Carnival Crostoli or Venitian Galani is one of this recipe that transports me straight in my childhood. Crostoli and Frittelle usually are available in pastry shops, bakeries and supermarkets during Carnival. Carnival is officially starting after Epiphany and ending with Mardi Gras – of Martedi Grasso.
Every weekend my dad was bringing home a tray of these delicacies and usually he was going to a pastry shop in the town of Marostica to buy these. That store was our favorite and the best in our family ranking system for Crostoli.
Today I decided to make Crostoli at home, with a bit of nostalgia for the time gone and with lots of joy to recreate some of these happy moments that I carry with me.
Why you will love this recipe
– It is an authentic Italian crostoli recipe used until today in the Veneto region.
-A treat that easily can be a weekend project to make with your loved ones. Crostoli recipe requires some time and lots of love!
-A less known Italian snack, that will conquer your taste buds.
What are Crostoli?
Crostoli are deep fried Italian pastry that is paper thin. This sweetened dough is popular during Carnival, along with the rest of the traditional sweets (fritole aka fried donuts). They are looking like crips thin fried sheets and they usually present fringed edges.
The concept is not strictly Venetian, in fact . In fact, it’s declined all over Italy, just under different names. In Tuscany they are called cenci, in Piemonte bugie, In Lombardy chiacchiere so on. Ingredients vary slightly, as do shapes, but all in all, similarities outnumber any differences.
In the Veneto region, crostoli and galani share the same recipe, but are called differently depending on where you live. Crostoli are typical of the Venetian inland. They are often cut into rectangles that are thin and yet substantial. Galani, on the other hand, belong to the city of Venice alone. They are rolled so thin that they are almost see-through, then cut into long, twisted ribbons that are as light and friable as they are fragile.
Crostoli origin dates back to the Roman empire. The recipe I am sharing is the classic version from the Venetian inland where I am from.
Carnival Crostoli Ingredients:
Eggs: 3 whole eggs and 2 yolks
Caster sugar: very fine sugar, which is ideal for baking. It is more common in Europe, here in US you can find it in some specialty store. Normal sugar will also work.
Lemon: the lemon zest will balance the egg and will add a nice aroma.
Butter: a little goes a long way to make this very friable. I recommend to melt it before.
Grappa: this will help to create the bubble when you fry the dough. You can skip it, you will not have the bubbles, but the results will still be good. Grappa is very popular in Veneto. In other region they use different liquors.
Salt: to add flavor.
Peanut oil: you will need it for deep frying the dough.
Powdered Sugar: to dust the fried dough at the end, giving them that festive look.
How to make Crostoli
Gather all your ingredients and make a volcano wheel with the flour. At the center add the sugar, salt, butter and eggs.
Start by whisking together the eggs with a fork and slowly incorporate all the ingredients.
Carry on kneading the dough with your hands until it comes together into a smooth, even ball (it should bounce back when gently pressed with a finger). Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to rest for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Next, divide the dough into small portions (about 7–8) and roll them thinly using a pasta machine (or a rolling pin), dusting them with flour at every passage. Make sure you pass the dough through the pasta roll until is thin enough.
Cut the strips of dough into rectangles (about 15x10cm). Then cut in the middle, about 1.5 inches length to give it a nice shape. I use a pasta cutter to make cute fringes around the edges. If you want you can use a simple knife and that it is it.
Fill three-quarters of a deep, medium-sized skillet with sunflower oil and set it over a low-medium heat. When the oil is hot (180°C), slip in a first batch (3–4) of crostoli. Fry them until deep-golden and with bubbles on the surface. Turn them on the the other side. All of this should be 30-40 seconds long, longer time will give you burnt crostoli and you do not want that to happen! Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with absorbent kitchen paper.
Let the crostoli cool to room temperature, then dust with icing sugar and eat right away, or within 3 days.
MORE SWEET RECIPES FOR YOU
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Ingredients Subsitutions
You can sub 00 flour with all purpose flour.
You can sub caster sugar with normal white cane sugar.
Grappa can be interchanged for rum or any other liquor of your choice.
Orange zest could be used instead of lemon.
If you want, you can add additional vanilla flavor.
What to serve with Crostoli
Crostoli are great served with as treat for an afternoon snack accompanied by a cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate.
They are great after a light meal: a salad, or a veggie pasta. Make space! You will not stop at one!
How long does Crostoli keep good for?
Well it all depends if that tray will last more than a few hours! They are best eaten within 3 days from frying so that they maintain their crispness.
What to drink with Crostoli
The best pairing is a glass of Vin Santo or a good Grappa from the Veneto region. If you would like to go for a sweet wine, I recommend a sparkling fruit wine or a prosecco brut, the fizziness will prepare your palate for the next bite.
Please let me know in the comments how you like this Crostoli recipe, and if you make it please leave a star rating! I would really love to hear from you!
Ingredients
- 4 cups Flour 00
- 3 units eggs
- 2 unit egg yolk
- 3 oz sugar caster
- 1 ¼ oz butter melted
- 1.5 fl oz grappa
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tsp lemon zest
- ½ cup sugar powdered
- 1 l oil peanut
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients and make a volcano wheel with the flour. At the center add the sugar, salt, butter and eggs.
- Start by whisking together the eggs with a fork and slowly incorporate all the ingredients.
- Carry on kneading the dough with your hands until it comes together into a smooth, even ball (it should bounce back when gently pressed with a finger). Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to rest for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Next, divide the dough into small portions (about 7–8) and roll them thinly using a pasta machine (or a rolling pin), dusting them with flour at every passage. Make sure you roll them fine enough.
- Cut the strips of dough into rectangles (about 15x10cm). Cut a strip in the middle for 1.5 inch length. Use a pasta cutter to make cute fringed edges. If not, you can also use a knife.
- Fill three-quarters of a deep, medium-sized skillet with sunflower oil and set it over a low-medium heat. When the oil reaches 340°F (180°C), slip in a first batch (3–4) of crostoli. Fry them until deep-golden all over, for about 30-40 seconds, flipping them half way.. Drain them with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with absorbent kitchen paper
- Let the crostoli cool to room temperature, then dust with icing sugar and eat right away, or within 3 days from frying.
Nutrition
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