Galani is also known as fried ribbons, bow ties, or angel wings in the U.S. The ribbons of sweet pasta dough are fried and covered with sugar or honey. It takes on different names throughout central Europe, including chrusciki, krusczyk, frappe, frappole, sfrappole, flappe, cenci, crustci, donzelli, crostoli, galani in Veneto, lattughe, nastri delle suore, bugie, and gigi. No matter what you call them, they are addictive.
Angel Wings
chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
6 egg yolks
pinch of salt
grated zest of 1 lemon
6 Tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon Sambuca, whiskey, or rum
frying oil
approximately 3/4 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar to pastries
By Mixer:
Place the flour in a mixing bowl with a dough hook, add all ingredients except the confectioners sugar, blend well at low speed, then mix for fifteen minutes.
By Hand:
If kneading by hand, make a well in the center. Add the egg yolks and rub in with the fingers until combined. Add all the other ingredients except the confectioner's sugar. Blend well and keep kneading by repeating a pattern of folding the dough, flattening it, folding again, and flattening it for at least half an hour.
Divide the dough into four pieces and cover it in plastic wrap. Allow to rest in the refrigerator for one hour or overnight.
When ready to fry, roll out the dough with a rolling stick 1/16th inch thick. Slice into one-and-a-half-inch wide strips. Cut the strips diagonally, preferably with a fluted pastry wheel, into 5-inch lengths. In each strip, cut a one-inch slit the long way in the middle. Pull one end of the strip through the slit so that it looks like a bowtie shape.
Preheat frying oil to 375°F. Test a small piece first; it should become golden in about 45 seconds, then turn over. Fry the strips in small batches until they turn light golden, turning once. Drain on wire screens and allow to cool. When cool, move to a serving platter and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Tip: The long mixing will create air pockets in the dough; you will want the air pockets to make the pastry puff when frying.
