For dough
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

For rolling
2 tablespoons pine nuts

For dipping
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar

2 cups olive oil for deep frying

For decoration
colored candies

Pour a cup of flour onto a breadboard, make a well in center and break in eggs and salt; knead, adding more flour from the 2nd cup to make a soft, smooth dough.

Cut dough in half for easy handling, and roll in circular pieces about 1/4-inch thick; cut into strips 1/4-inch pieces, and sprinkle with flour lightly to prevent sticking.

Roll these small pieces of dough in pine nuts, drop in hot olive oil and stir with a wooden spoon until lightly browned; drain on brown paper.

Heat sugar and honey over low heat about 5 minutes or until smooth; add browned pieces of dough, swishing them about until well coated, then remove to a platter.

Bunch them together into small clusters with a spoon, or form them into a ring and sprinkle with colored candies.

Serves 8.

This recipe was taken from "The Complete Italian Cook Book: La Cucina" by Rose L. Sorce. It was published by Grosset & Dunlap in 1953. For the entire copyright-free cookbook see www.archive.org.... P.S. The archivist of this website tried this recipe and found it difficult to do as described. The pine nuts don't stick very well to the uncooked dough. Also, they come right off when frying the dough. It makes more sense to add them after the dough is cooked, along with the honey and sprinkles. The pine nuts don't get browned, but they don't get burnt either. Photo and notes: Mary Melfi

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