Cicerchiata
Cicerchiata is a traditional Carnival sweet of tiny crisp dough beads bound in warm honey and shaped into a festive ring, named after its resemblance to grass peas (cicerchie).
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 360 kcal
Equipment
- •Deep frying pan or heavy saucepan
- •Wide shallow pan
- •Slotted spoon or spider
- •Rolling board and sharp knife
- •Serving platter or ring mould
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- fat
- 14 g
- carbs
- 54 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 6 g
- calories
- 360 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Mound the flour onto a wooden board and create a wide well in the centre.
- 2
Add the eggs, sugar, melted butter, Mistrà, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt into the well.
- 3
Beat the wet ingredients with a fork, gradually incorporating the surrounding flour.
- 4
Knead the dough firmly for five minutes until smooth, pliable, and non-sticky.
- 5
Cover the dough with an upturned bowl and rest it at room temperature for twenty minutes.
- 6
Cut small portions of dough and roll them into slender ropes about five millimetres thick.
- 7
Slice the ropes into tiny pieces the size of dried grass peas.
- 8
Heat the frying oil in a deep pan to 175 degrees C.
- 9
Fry the dough beads in small batches for two minutes until puffed and light golden, then drain on paper.
- 10
Gently warm the honey and candied peel in a wide pan over low heat until runny and bubbling softly.
- 11
Tip the fried dough balls and toasted almonds into the honey, stirring gently until every bead is coated.
- 12
Transfer the warm mixture to a lightly oiled plate and shape into a ring using wet hands or an oiled glass.
- 13
Scatter coloured sprinkles over the top and allow the honey to cool completely before cutting.
Chef's tips
Keep the dough beads very small when cutting, as they expand significantly in hot oil. Wet or lightly oil your hands with cold water when moulding the honey-coated beads to prevent painful sticking.
Ingredient substitutions
- Mistrà liqueur → sambuca, dry white wine, or grappa
- unsalted butter → mild extra virgin olive oil or rendered lard
Storage
Store the cooled cicerchiata uncovered or loosely draped with parchment paper in a cool, dry place for up to five days.
Reheating
Do not reheat, as cicerchiata is meant to be eaten at room temperature once the honey structure sets.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cutting the dough balls too large, resulting in heavy, doughy centres rather than crisp, hollow beads.
- •Overheating the honey until it caramelises dark and turns bitter rather than staying floral and glossy.
- •Overcrowding the frying pan, which drops the oil temperature and makes the pastry greasy.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Cicerchiata?
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