Cartellate O Rose
Cartellate o “Rose” (Three-Day Italian Rosettes)
Dough
3 1/2 cups fancy durum flour
1 large egg
1/3 cup very warm olive oil, plus some for frying
1/2 cup warm white wine
Filling
3 1/2 cups grape jelly or red currant jelly
2/3 cup honey
About 2 cups dry red wine or dessert wine
Oil for frying
Decoration
Ground cinnamon
Ground cloves
Thousands and Millions (candy sprinkles)
To prepare the Dough: Place flour in a mixing bowl
Add the egg and mix well
Add the warm oil all at once and mix well again
Add the wine and mix well
the dough should be look like regular pasta dough, if not add more wine as needed
After the dough is well mixed, knead (even if in the electric mixer) 4 minutes
Wrap in clear plastic paper and let sit for 15 minutes
Roll out the dough, like you would to make pasta, by hand, or with a pasta machine
the dough should be just a little under 1/8 inch thick
with a pastry wheel cut into strips about 1 1/2 inches wide and about 12 inches long
Using a brush moisten the top edge lengthwise with a little wine
Place the tip of your index finger vertically 1 inch from either end, lift and pinch the top and bottom edges around your finger to form a cup
Continue the process the length of the dough ( you should have 8 or 9 openings of about 3/8 of an inch between openings
with pinched dough in between each one
curl the dough into itself by holding one end and spinning the other end until it looks like a flat rose
Carefully place rose on a cookie sheet and proceed with remainder
Continue until you have used all the dough
Let roses set uncovered overnight
They will be hard and dry by the next day
Prepare the filling: Place all the filling ingredients except oil in a saucepan for about an hour or until all is smooth and liquid, to sample place a little bit on a cool dish and let cool completely
If it is the consistency you like and will hold its shape (it must be firm enough to set up like thick honey, but not too firm where it is lumpy), proceed with recipe, if not, cook down a bit and then test again
If it gets too thick, add more wine and thin again
If you do this, make sure to add the wine a little at a time because it takes a while for for it to absorb the mixture properly
When it is just right keep it hot over very low heat watching it carefully
To fry the “Roses”: Heat oil to 375 deg F in a deep 8- inch pan, Place 2 or 3 of the roses in at a time and fry until they are an even very light gold color
Drain them upside down on a rack with a pan or kitchen towels underneath
When they are drained and still hot, submerge each rose into the filling mixture for a minute or two
Carefully lift them out with tongs or a slotted spoon and set right side up with all the little openings filled with the jelly mixture on a draining rack
Proceed with the others and arrange them on a plate
Before serving they should be sprinkled with a bit of ground cinnamon and perhaps a bit of cloves
If desired, toss a handful of thousands and millions on
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