#1169 - Ceciarchiata

(by Rachel Guarini - friend)

3 beaten eggs
2 cups unbleached flour + extra for dredging
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup olive oil
1 cup honey
1/2 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts (toasted)
2 tsp. lemon zest (grated lemon peel)
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds (toasted)

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place the almonds on a cookie sheet and roast them for 4-5 minutes. Shake the pan a couple of times--be careful so they don't burn. Cool almonds to room temperature, then chop almonds into coarse pieces. Repeat same procedure with the hazelnuts. In a bowl add beaten eggs, flour, and salt--make a soft dough. Place dough on floured counter--knead the dough 1-2 minutes. Shape dough into a ball, flatten it with your hands, and sprinkle lightly with flour. Roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thick (rectangle shape). With a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 1/4 inch wide strips. Dredge the dough strips in flour--cut each strip into dime sized pieces and dredge again with flour--shake off any extra flour. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan--fry a handful of the dough bits at a time until lightly browned--be sure to stir them. Drain the dough bits on paper towels and let them cool. Bring the honey to a boil in a heavy saucepan--simmer over medium high heat for about 3 minutes. Add all the dough balls, prepared hazelnuts, lemon zest and lemon juice to the honey mixture--cook over low heat for 7 minutes. Spread the toasted almonds over an oiled round serving platter and pour the hot dough ball mixture on top--let it sit for a few minutes. When the mixture is cool enough to be handled, shape it into a circle on the oiled platter using your moistened hands. Let it cool to room temperature (it will harden slightly). Break into bite sized pieces.