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Pignolata messinese
Glazed fried dough mound
Pignolata: Messina's fried dough mound glazed half with lemon, half with chocolate
In Messina, at the north-east tip of Sicily, Carnival means pignolata: a mound of small fried dough pieces, glazed half with a white lemon icing and half with a dark chocolate one, like a little mountain with a snowy side and a dark side. It is said to have been created by Messina's aristocratic families as a grand version of the humble honey pignolata eaten by the poor. It is served in slices with coffee. Chef's tip: let the first glaze set completely before adding the second; if both are soft at once, the colours run into each other.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the dough
- 10 ½ oz plain flour
- 3 eggs
- ⅓ oz caster sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 ¼ cups sunflower or peanut oilfor frying
For the lemon glaze
- 7 oz icing sugar
- 1 egg whitepasteurised
- 1 lemonjuice and zest
For the chocolate glaze
- 4 oz dark chocolate
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 ¾ oz caster sugar
- 3 ½ tbsp water
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Knead 10 ½ oz plain flour, 3 eggs, 2 egg yolks, ⅓ oz caster sugar and 1 pinch salt into a firm, smooth dough. Rest for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Roll into ropes 1 cm thick and cut into 1.5 cm pieces. Heat 3 ¼ cups sunflower or peanut oil to 350°F and fry in batches for 2–3 minutes, until crisp and golden. Drain and cool.
20 minStep 3: Make the lemon glaze: beat 7 oz icing sugar with 1 egg white and enough juice of 1 lemon to make a thick glaze. Use pasteurised egg white so the uncooked glaze is safe for everyone.
Step 4: Pile half of the fried pieces on one side of a serving plate, pour over the lemon glaze and leave for 1 hour, until set. Common mistake: glazing warm pieces; the icing melts and slides off.
Step 5: Make the chocolate glaze: heat 4 oz dark chocolate, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 ¾ oz caster sugar and 3 ½ tbsp water, stirring, for 3 minutes, until smooth and glossy. Cool for 5 minutes, toss with the rest of the pieces and pile them beside the white half.
8 minStep 6: Leave to set for 1 hour. Serve in slices that show both colours.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pignolata messinese take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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