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Pignolata

December 14, 2012 by Roxana 18 Comments

Today’s Christmas treats are brought by Lora of Cake Duchess. I’ve been known Lora since I start blogging and she never cease to amaze me with her creativity. She’s very creative in her baking, but our love for homemade bread is what made us close friends. With recipes like “No knead dinner rolls” , “Marbled chocolate brioche”  and a step-by-step sourdough starter, she’ll sure win your attention in no time.

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pignolata

Hello, everyone! I am Lora and it is a thrill to be guest posting today for my dear friend, Roxana. Roxana was one of the first people I met through my food blog. She is an incredible baker with a huge heart. I hope to one day meet her in person and have a taste of one of her stunning layer cakes or pretty breads.  Roxana asked me to share a holiday recipe for her #25recipestoXmas series. I couldn’t think of any better holiday recipe to share than these Sicilian honey balls (pignolata). My father is from Sicily and I spent many years there as a child and an adult.

pignolata-3

Pignolata is one of the most popular southern Italian sweets made for Christmas. It’s a Sicilian dessert but it is also common in Calabria.  It used to be made in Sicily during Carnevale, but is now also made during Christmas. Pignolata show up all over Sicily under different names: pignocata, pagnuccata, pignolata. You may be familiar with them being referred to as struffoli and can find them in pastry shops at Christmas time. It is important to use good honey when making them and also the right amount.  It’s also important to make them the right size so you can enjoy the honey glaze more.

These pignolata will add a sweet dash of Christmas cheer to your holiday festivities!

Pignolata

10 minPrep Time

10 minCook Time

1 hrTotal Time

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Ingredients

    Dough
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (extra may be needed)
  • Syrup
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • zest of one large orange
  • 1 cup orange blossom honey
  • Vegetable oil to fry
  • Sprinkles

Instructions

    To make the dough
  1. In the bowl of a large mixer, beat eggs sugar, salt and oil.
  2. Sift the flour into the mix and beat on medium speed with a dough hook until you obtain a soft dough. Add more flour as needed a little at a time if the dough is too sticky.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it until it is smooth.
  4. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
  5. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll into ropes (about ½ inch thick). Cut each rope into ½ inch pieces and roll the pieces in your hands (like you’re making meatballs) into little balls.
  6. Toss a little bit of flour on the dough balls so they don’t stick while you roll the other pieces.
  7. Heat oil in a large heavy saucepan to 350 degrees F.
  8. Carefully add about 6 pieces of dough at a time and fry until they are evenly browned (about 3 minutes).
  9. Remove the dough pieces with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat process until you fry all the pieces of dough.
  10. To make the syrup
  11. In a large skillet, bring the sugar, water and orange zest to a boil. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves.
  12. Whisk in the honey; reduce the heat to medium-high.
  13. Add the balls and stir to coat them evenly with the honey syrup. Cook for about 5 minutes until they obtain a nice glaze.
  14. Immediately place them on serving plate stacking them like a pinecone. Use caution as they are very hot.
  15. Toss on the sprinkle
7.6.8
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https://atreatsaffair.com/pignolata-recipe/
Roxana Yawgel http://atreatsaffair.com/ All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.

Thank you for having me on your delicious blog, Roxana.  I want to wish everyone Buon Natale…a very Merry Christmas!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

You can keep up with Lora by subscribing to her RSS feed or follow on social media : Google+, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest

For other Christmas sweet check out #25recipestoXmas

25-Recipes-to-Christmas-roxanashomebaking

 

Sending love your way,

Roxana

 

[ts_fab]

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Filed Under: Christmas, Cookies and Bars, Holiday, Recipe Tagged With: Christmas, holiday, honey, vegetable oil

About Roxana

Roxana has a passion for all things food, a sweet tooth that can’t be tamed and a severe case of the wanderlust
With an audience in search for real food and no fuss recipes, I make midweek meals exciting sharing approachable recipes, both sweet and savory, that taste completely sinful.

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Comments

  1. Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says

    December 14, 2012 at 9:59 am

    Lora are you kidding me?! Feed this to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Reply
  2. Kristina says

    December 14, 2012 at 10:43 am

    see, THIS is why I want Lora to be my neighbor... well, one of the reasons. Jason spent a summer in Italy after college, and I love to hear the stories he tells... I will go there with him one day! until then I need to make these, they sound perfect!
    Reply
  3. Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says

    December 14, 2012 at 11:12 am

    Ooooh I love Pignolata!!!! I'm Sicilian too and I haven't had this in faaaar too long. YummY!
    Reply
  4. Becky @ Olives n Wine says

    December 14, 2012 at 11:35 am

    What a fun looking dessert! I love the sprinkles on the Pignolata :)
    Reply
  5. Valerie says

    December 14, 2012 at 1:52 pm

    Wonderful guest post, Lora! I'm not familiar with pignolata, but it sounds delicious! Anything that's fried and honey-ed, has to be spectacular.
    Reply
  6. Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts says

    December 14, 2012 at 4:58 pm

    Incredible!! I wish I was Italian!
    Reply
  7. Patty says

    December 15, 2012 at 11:13 am

    Gorgeous, I wish I could reach in and try a few;-) Congratulations on a wonderful guest post;-)
    Reply
  8. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says

    December 15, 2012 at 4:06 pm

    I've never tasted pignolata but it sounds incredible! I love the honey syrup.
    Reply
  9. Lisa says

    December 15, 2012 at 4:52 pm

    Question: Do these have a strong orange flavor? I am not a huge fan of orange and want to try these because they sound great! (I'm also Sicilian and would love to have a heritage inspired treat) Could I omit the orange? Or use less?
    Reply
  10. Lora @cakeduchess says

    December 15, 2012 at 8:24 pm

    Thank you for the sweet comments, everyone. I wish you all happy holidays and send you hugs. :) Thank you again, Roxy. xo
    Reply
  11. Kate@Diethood says

    December 16, 2012 at 8:58 am

    I would take that entire plate with me, lock myself in the bedroom, turn on the Real Housewives and go at these gems, one handful at a time! :-)
    Reply
  12. Carol | a cup of mascarpone says

    December 16, 2012 at 10:00 am

    I have been eating these since I was baby able to chew! :) My southern Italian family called them struffoli, but made the exact same way. A beautiful recipe, Lora!!!
    Reply
  13. Rose says

    December 16, 2012 at 10:25 am

    These are such a wonderful Italian tradition for the Christmas holidays.....trying adding some good quality, chopped chocolate along with the sprinkles....it is awesome! Happy Holidays
    Reply
  14. susansmith says

    December 16, 2012 at 10:09 pm

    It look so delicious.Love it very much.Perfect for the holidays!!!
    Reply
  15. Virginia says

    December 18, 2012 at 6:17 pm

    My family is from Naples, and we call these Struffoli, it's the same recipe....it's not Christmas unless there is a tin pie plate filled with these beauties sitting on the dining room table....soooooo good!!!
    Reply
  16. Jeanne Odom says

    January 17, 2016 at 5:22 pm

    My mother's family emigrated from Sicily and I grew up making these every Christmas. I checked my mother's recipe and it is very similar. We sprinkled ours with finely chopped pine nuts, powdered sugar and shaved milk chocolate. Reminds me of childhood and they tasted so good!
    Reply
  17. Diane says

    October 9, 2016 at 2:50 pm

    I have had these only once in my life and I never forgot how wonderful they were. They were made by an Italian family friend. I am not waiting until Christmas to make them. Thank you for this recipe.
    Reply
  18. Eden Passante says

    October 24, 2016 at 3:03 pm

    In a way this kinda of reminds me of a funnel cake but in bite size pieces. I do enjoy how authentic this recipe is, it really shows the true foods in Sicily!
    Reply

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Hi there! I'm Roxana. I have a passion for all things food, a sweet tooth that can’t be tamed and a severe case of the wanderlust. I make midweek meals exciting by sharing approachable recipes, both sweet and savory, that taste completely sinful. Read More →

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