| Level: | Advanced |
| Total: | 3 hr |
| Prep: | 45 min |
| Inactive: | 2 hr |
| Cook: | 15 min |
| Yield: | about 6 dozen |
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled briefly
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brandy
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon ground anise seeds
- 4 to 6 cups peanut or vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- About 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Sift the flour with the baking powder, salt, and sugar and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together the eggs, butter, orange juice, brandy, vanilla, and anise seeds until well blended. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix on low speed until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and adheres to the paddle.
- Remove the dough from the bowl onto a floured board. Knead by hand until smooth. Form the dough into a ball, flatten slightly, and place in a bowl. Cover with a tea towel and chill at least 2 hours or up to overnight to allow the dough to relax.
- Heat the oil in a deep fryer or deep pot to 350 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, cut the dough into 4 or 6 equal pieces. Keeping the dough and work surface well floured, pass the dough through the widest setting of a pasta machine 3 or 4 times. Then pass through successively narrower settings until the dough is almost thin enough to see through; depending on your pasta machine, this will probably be the next to thinnest setting.
- Cut the dough into long strips 3 inches wide, then cut the strips on the diagonal into pieces about 3 inches long. If the dough tears, cut it off and work it back into the dough. The cookies curl when they fry, so fancier shapes are not important. As the cookies are cut, transfer them to baking sheets lined with flour-dusted tea towels, and cover with tea towels so they won’t dry out before frying. Fry in batches, turning once, until puffed and golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
- While the cookies are still hot, dust them well with powdered sugar. Wait for a few minutes while the oil and heat absorb and melt most of this first coating. Dust well a second time until the cookies are quite white. The cookies will keep for a week or so in an airtight container. You may need to re-dust them with sugar before serving.
- Only a few cookies at a time will fit, even in a big pot, so frying takes time. It is best to have company in the kitchen, ready with lots of good talk to keep you amused. And there are always the warm cookies to eat along the way as a reward. You can also dredge the cookies in granulated sugar, crystal sugar, or even a mix of powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 72 servings |
| Calories | 182 |
| Total Fat | 17 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 7 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Cholesterol | 9 mg |
| Sodium | 13 mg |
Reviews
best darn cookies ever! I really don’t think they are that difficult to make.
A few cookies did puff up but not many.
Was my oil to hot?
To cool?
Was my Baking powder out of date?
I thought maybe I overworked the dough?
Should the cookies have been thicker/thinner?
Was my oil to hot?
To cool?
Was my Baking powder out of date?
I thought maybe I overworked the dough?
Should the cookies have been thicker/thinner?
I made this at my aunts house, because she has a nice Pasta machine! After they were so good we had to make some more for our hawaiin Family get together Party. Everyone loved them!!!!! Thanks MICHAEL!!! YOU ROCK!!!!!!
Excellent cookies – raves from all who received them during the holidays.
I can’t pernaonce the dumb name
We made these cookies last year for Christmas, and they were a hit, not too difficult, and I found them tasty. Folks like interesting cookies to pick out from the repetition of most folk’s repetoire, and these fit the bill.
I was absolutely amazed at how great these cookies turned out. They were so fun to make and even more fun to eat. They are time consuming to make, but absolutely worth it. I will be making these all the time.
My Itaian grandmother who was born in the Piedmonte region of Italy made these cookies often. The only difference was that she did not put anise in hers. Anise and Fennel are very Southern Italy spices. I like the way Michael Chiarello cooks but I think he uses way too much of these spices in his cooking. Especially Fennel. He can hardly make any kind of meat dish without it. Everything tastes too much the same. I am a trained gourmet cook myself and my motto is never to put so many spices or herbs in anything as to take away the flavor of the food you are preparing. Spices and Herbs should be used to enhance the flavor of food, not to overpower it. These cookies are fantastic with a little fresh vanilla bean or lemon or orange zest.