Crostoli (Italian Bow Tie Cookies)
Crostoli, also called frappe or Italian bow ties, are delicate Italian cookies made of thin, crispy dough strips fried until golden and typically dusted with a cloud of powdered sugar that melts in your mouth.
Servings: 8
Equipment
- pasta machine optional but extremely helpful
- large dutch oven or deep fryer
- Rolling Pin
- ravioli or pastry wheel for cutting can also use a knife
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 medium lemon or orange zest only; minimize the pith
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or brandy
For Frying and Topping
- Vegetable oil canola oil not recommended
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, melted butter, and citrus zest (if using) until well combined. Pour the egg mixture into the well of the flour, add the wine/brandy, and start mixing with a fork or your hands, then kneading until a smooth dough forms. Add more flour as needed if the dough is too sticky. Knead the dough for a few minutes until it's elastic and smooth.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This helps relax the gluten and makes it easier to roll out.
- While the dough rests, line a large dish or small tray with paper towels and set aside (you will use this to drain the fried crostoli). Begin to heat enough oil to fry the crostoli in a Dutch oven or a deep fryer.
- After the dough has rested, divide it into four pieces on a lightly floured surface. Roll out one portion as thin as possible. Lightly flour each side as you roll and flip the dough ocassionally to avoid sticking.
- Alternatively, if using a pasta machine, flatten a portion of rested dough by hand, then feed it through the widest setting, 0. Fold it into thirds and repeat 2-3 times until smooth. Without folding, run the dough through progressively narrower settings (1, 2, 3, 4) until reaching setting 5.
- Cut the dough sheets into strips. I use a ravioli/pastry wheel to cut the dough into about 1-inch-wide strips, but you can also use a knife.
- After the vegetable oil has reached about 350°F (175°C), carefully slide a few crostoli at a time into the hot oil. Fry them until lightly golden and crispy. They can get dark rather quickly, so keep watch. Use a slotted spoon to remove the crostoli from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- While warm, dust them generously with powdered sugar. You can do this by placing powdered sugar in a fine-mesh sieve and tapping it over the crostoli or by using a powdered sugar shaker.
- Crostoli are best enjoyed on the day they're made, but I find they will maintain their crispiness for a few days if sealed in an air-tight container or in a cardboard box lined with paper towels.