The magical month of December brings with it the most beautiful moments to live and share with others: the decoration of the tree, the lighting of the lights, the search for gifts and the delicious homemade desserts.

What is the best happy ending to every Christmas lunch and dinner? The struffoli!

Whether you find them in the decorated display case of a pastry shop or in your home kitchen, you can't help but try them, but be careful! These sweet balls are addictive.

To put the recipe into practice, in addition to the Antonio Amato dessert flour, we used a lot of ingredients, but don't let the list scare you because the procedure is actually very simple. As a good traditional dish, it is only a question of manual skill and patience.

A true traditional dish has ancient origins

The history of Neapolitan struffoli begins with the arrival of the Greeks in the ports of Partenope. It seems that they were the inventors of this dessert.

The name "struffolo" has multiple derivations, such as "strongoulos", a Greek word that describes the "rounded" form, or "rub", from the work of the dough that is rolled before being cut into cubes. Another version links the name to the lard with which they were initially fried, but the story we like most is that struffoli are called that because they "rub" or "tickle" the palate.

The only certainty is that this dessert has made many people fall in love, spreading rapidly throughout central and southern Italy, with different names and forms.

Both in Umbria and in Abruzzo the struffoli are called "cicerchiata" because they are small like legumes, alias the cicerchie.

The name used in Basilicata and Calabria instead the struffolo is called "cicerata" because it resembles the chickpeas that in dialect are called "ciceri".

Struffoli in three tasty versions: light, chocolate and savory

Many stories, many shapes and many names for these sweet balls of dough with an unmistakable taste, but also many different ways to prepare them.

Did you know that there is a "light" version? This preparation involves baking and even if it does not guarantee the same result, it greatly simplifies the procedure. Just add a pinch of yeast to the ingredients to make the dough grow. Cut the pasta into cubes and place it on a baking sheet, bake and wait for them to be golden brown. The seal instead provides for the traditional procedure.

If you want to give a more sweet touch to struffoli, the chocolate variant is for you. The difference lies in the final decoration: prepare a cream made with cream and milk chocolate, combining the chocolate bar with fresh cream in a saucepan and heating the mixture until it becomes homogeneous. You can directly dip the struffoli in the saucepan or cover them evenly, once they are already placed on the serving plate.

Savory lovers, the latest version has only the shape in common with the sweet, but it is an excellent alternative to finger food to accompany cheeses, cured meats, appetizers and winter soups. The base of the dough changes, but its preparation remains simple. You will only need flour, oil, salt and black pepper.

And now in the kitchen to prepare the sweetest traditional recipe!

INGREDIENTS

400 g Antonio Amato dessert flour

3 medium eggs

80 g cold butter fused

40 g sugar

2 tablespoons anisette (anise’s liqueur)

1 orange zest

1 lemon zest

1 teaspoon yeast for dessert

salt to taste

600 ml peanut oil

300 g honey

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

3 tablespoons colour funfetti

1 teaspoon silver funfetti

50 g candied fruit

DIRECTIONS

Preparing the dought of struffoli is very simple, just combine all the basic ingredients (flour, eggs, sugar, butter, lemon and orange zest, anisette and a pinch of salt), mixing well, until they are mixed and the dough will be smooth and homogeneous. Before cutting the dough, let it rest for at least an hour. Divide it into medium-sized pieces and form sticks, cut further until you get small cubes.

Bring the oil to a temperature in a saucepan and start frying the struffoli.

In the meantime, prepare the syrup in a pan, cooking the honey and half a glass of water over a low heat.

As soon as the mixture is ready, pour the struffoli into the pan and stir, adding the sprinkles. Remember to keep a little aside for the final decoration.

Transfer the struffoli onto a serving dish giving it the shape of a pyramid with colored and silver funfetti.

Your struffoli are ready, the choice is yours: eat them or pack them to make a nice gift?