Ingredients

50 g Corn starch
400 g All purpose flour
16 g vanilla flavoured baking powder
1 organic orange zest
100g cane sugar (or caster sugar)
4  eggs
3 tbs passito liqueur (like Albana di Romagna)
1 pinch of  salt
Sunflower oil to fry

To garnish
Icing sugar (or the sugar you prefer)
Alchermes liqueur

Preparation

In a large bowl whisk together flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt.
Make a well in the middle and add sugar, eggs, zest, vanilla, softened butter and liqueur
Mix together with a fork until almost combined
Move to a lightly floured flat surface and knead into a smooth soft dough.

Cut the dough into piecies and roll the dough to form a 2 cm (1 inch) thick rope.
Cut the rope in pieces, the size of cherries.
If you like bigger balls shape, roll between your hands to form it.

Meanwhile, start heating the oil (in a large fryer or deep pot halfway full), make sure the
temperature remains between 170-175C.

Once oil is at the correct temperature, fry a few Castagnole at a time, until they become golden
brown and nicely puffed.

Drain on paper towels and, when cool enough to touch but still quite warm, roll in caster sugar
or, if you prefer less sweet, just drizzle.

Tips:

1. Always fry a few pieces of the dough at a time, since too many together can lower the
temperature of the oil, which can leave them less crispy and greasier.

2. If served immediately, castagnole will be at their best: crunchy outside and soft inside

3. Instead of sunflower oil, you can use peanut oil as well. Some consider it the best for the
delicate flavour.

Carnival is a time of year that still bears some relevance in the Italian calendar.
Running from the beginning of Lent in the Christian calendar, it’s still considered to be the period in which all transgressions are allowed, most especially in the culinary realm.

You can track this celebratory festivity back to the Roman Empire. However, it’s in Venice that carnival flourished within the water walls of the Serenissima, and eventually gained worldwide fame. It’s no mystery that 18th century Venice was known for its decadent and lustful costumes.
These were only amplified during Carnival, as masquerades and secret parties would take place all over the city.