Serves 6-8.
- Prep time: 30min + resting time
- Cook time: 3min
- Total time: 33min
- Difficulty: Basic
Kroštule is a traditional pastry from Dalmatia and Istria, typically prepared for holidays and special occasions. They’re made from a dough that is usually shaped into thin strips and tied into a loose knot and then deep-fried. In Dalmatia, the dough is usually made with some schnapps or a fruit brandy, while in Istria they are commonly prepared with white wine.
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons schnapps, fruit brandy or liquer (kirsch, limoncello etc.)
- 2 tablespoons dark rum
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- pinch of salt
- 400g (3 cups) all purpose flour
- vegetable oil for frying
- icing sugar for dusting
Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, schnapps, rum, butter, sugar, vanilla sugar, lemon zest and salt. Start adding flour gradually while mixing with a wooden spoon. Continue adding flour until you get a firm dough that doesn’t stick to your fingers. It should be the consistency of pasta dough. You may not need to use all the flour, or you might need to add some more, depending on the size of the eggs and the quality of the flour. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes on a lightly floured surface, flatten into a disc and wrap in plastic. Let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Divide the dough in half and roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface to 2mm thick. You can use pasta machine, if you like. Cut with a pasta wheel into 2cm x 20cm strips, tie into loose knots and set aside on a tray dusted with flour.
Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Deep-fry kroštule in batches, turning occasionally, until golden and puffed (2-3 minutes), then drain on kitchen paper. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm or cold. Store in an airtight container.
Commentary.
Category: Croatian cuisine, Cookies
Cuisine: Croatian
Kroštule is a traditional pastry from Dalmatia and Istria, typically prepared for holidays and special occasions. They’re made from a dough that is usually shaped into thin strips and tied into a loose knot and then deep-fried. In Dalmatia, the dough is usually made with some schnapps or fruit brandy, while in Istria they are commonly prepared with white wine. I like to add some lemon zest to the dough, which gives kroštule a really nice fresh flavor. A generous dusting of icing sugar gives them just the right amount of sweetness, since almost no sugar is added to the dough. They make a great accompaniment to coffee or tea.