Cenci Toscani: Tuscany's Crispy Carnival Pastry

Mound 300g flour on a work surface. Make a well in the center and add 3 eggs, 30g softened butter, 30g sugar, 30ml vin santo, the zest of 1 lemon, and a pinch of salt.

Beat the wet ingredients with a fork, gradually pulling in the flour from the edges. Once a shaggy dough forms, bring everything together with your hands.

Knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. It should feel like soft leather — pliable but not tacky.

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Do not skip this step; without it the dough will spring back and you will not be able to roll it thin enough.

Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Working one piece at a time and keeping the rest covered, roll through a pasta machine from the widest setting down to the thinnest or second-thinnest — target 1–2mm. If rolling by hand, use a rolling pin and work it as thin as possible.

Cut the rolled sheets into rough rectangles about 10 x 5cm. Make a 3cm slit lengthwise through the center of each, then thread one end through the slit to form a loose knot. This is traditional but optional if you prefer flat ribbons.

Pour sunflower oil into a deep heavy pot to a depth of at least 6cm. Heat to 175°C. Test with a small scrap of dough — it should sizzle and puff within 2 seconds of hitting the oil.

Fry the cenci in small batches of 4–6 at a time, turning once, until pale golden — about 60–90 seconds per side. Do not crowd the pot or the temperature will drop and the cenci will absorb oil instead of crisping.

Remove with a spider or slotted spoon and drain on a paper-towel-lined tray. Allow the oil to return to 175°C between batches before adding the next.

Dust generously with powdered sugar while still warm. Serve in a pile the same day — cenci lose their crunch overnight and do not keep well.