Cicerchiata

Fried pastry ball cake with honey and almond coating

white flour
2 oz mixed candied fruit
1 lemon
3 ˝ oz almonds
1 lb 2 oz refined honey
olive oil
3 eggs
a little aromatic liqueur

Preparation: Beat the whole eggs in a cup, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of liqueur and a little grated lemon rind. Beat the ingredients together and then incorporate enough white flour to obtain a fairly soft pastry.
Mix together well and then roll out a number of rolls the size of a pencil; with a knife, cut them into small pieces (of about half a cm - Ľ inch) and then, with the hands, roll the pieces into lots of little balls. Put the frying pan with plenty of oil over the heat and when the oil is boiling hot, fry the little pastry balls a few at a time.
Blanche the almonds in boiling water, skin them and cut lengthwise to obtain little strips.
Pour the honey into a wide pan, put over the heat and allow to colour slightly; to be sure of the colour, put a drop into a glass of cold water: if the honey hardens, then it is ready.
Remove the pan from the heat and put in the fried pastry balls, stir and add the almonds and the candied fruit cut into tiny pieces.
Grease a ring-shaped mould with oil, pour in the mixture levelling off the surface. Allow to cool for a few hours, then upturn onto a serving plate and serve.

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