Cicerata

 Giorgio Celmo

Honey-soaked cicerata, so named because the bits of dough are shaped to resemble chickpeas (ceci in Italian), is a sweet dessert that's served during the Christmas holidays.

Ingredients

6 egg whites
5¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
12 egg yolks
¼ teaspoon salt
2¾ cups extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup anise liqueur
¼ cup sugar
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 cup finely diced candied fruit
juice of 8 oranges
3 cups honey
zest of 4 oranges, julienned
¼ cup colored sprinkles

Directions

Make the dough: Whip the egg whites until soft peaks hold. Place the flour in the bowl of an electric mixer; work in the egg yolks, salt, ¾ cup of the olive oil, anise liqueur, and sugar. Gently fold in the egg whites with a wooden spoon; the dough should be soft and elastic. If it is too dry, add more liqueur; if it is too wet, add more flour.

Snip into chickpea-sized pieces and roll into tiny spheres. Heat the remaining olive oil until it registers 325 degrees on a thermometer; fry the bits of dough until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and blot dry on paper towels; arrange on 8 plates, and top with the slivered almonds and candied fruit, and sprinkles