How to Make Italian Bowties

The dough used for Italian bowties commonly contains fat, flour, milk and sugar.

Italian bowties are delicate fried dough strips formed in the shape of a bow and usually garnished with confectioner's sugar. Traditionally referred to as cenci, Italian bowties consist of unleavened strips of rich dough, knotted and fried in hot fat until crisp. Regional variations of cenci abound, with Florentine love knots serving as another type of the pastry. Most versions contain liquor, such as brandy or anisette, and an extract, such as almond or vanilla, for background flavoring. Does this Spark an idea?

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3 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. iodized salt
1/3 cup white granulated sugar
Mixing bowl
3 egg yolks
Food processor
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
1 tbsp. whole milk
1 tsp. brandy or anisette
Deep, heavy-bottomed pot
Canola oil
Candy thermometer
Rolling pin
Fluted pastry wheel
Slotted spoon

Instructions

- 1
  
  Remove 3 tbsp. unsalted butter from the refrigerator and allow it to reach room temperature. Mix together 1 1/2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. of baking powder, 1/2 tsp. of iodized salt and 1/3 cup of white granulated sugar in a mixing bowl and set aside.
- 2
  
  Pour three egg yolks in the bowl of a food processor. Add 1 1/2 tsp. of vanilla or almond extract, 1 tbsp. of whole milk, 1 tsp. of brandy or anisette and the tempered butter to the food processor, and mix until a dough forms, approximately one minute. Fill a deep, heavy-bottomed pot with 3 inches of canola oil and place it on the range.
- 3
  
  Attach a candy thermometer to the pot, and set the heat to medium high. Heat the oil until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and adjust the heat as needed to maintain that temperature. Dust the work surface with all-purpose flour.
- 4
  
  Turn the dough out onto the work surface. Roll the dough out until it measures 8 inches long, 12 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into 12 strips measuring 1 inch wide and 8 inches long with a flute's pastry wheel.
- 5
  
  Grasp the end of one strip, and twist the other end gently one time. Tie each strip into a loose bow, and place each on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- 6
  
  Fry each pastry in the oil until golden-brown, approximately 45 seconds for each side. Turn the pastry over halfway through cooking with a slotted spoon.
- 7
  
  Remove each pastry with a slotted spoon, and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Garnish with powdered sugar while warm.