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I'm looking for a recipe for an Italian cookie that I remember having as a child. The cookie is shaped like a gnocchi or cavatelli but is much bigger, about 1.5 inches long and slightly larger than a quarter in diameter. It is distinctly 'C' shaped, though. The cookie was fried, probably deep fried, and then soaked in honey. The color is a very deep, dark brown.

The cookie is very dense but flaky. There was not a very strong flavor other than the honey that I recall (i.e. not anise-flavored or something strong like that). The texture is what I'm really after, I think.

It is not a Zeppole (it doesn't puff up) or a Bow Tie (not as brittle in texture, certainly not as thin) or the little pea-shaped cookies (Struffoli?).

Based on our family tree these are probably going to be a Southern Italian cookie, from Calabria. But that's just a guess/hint.

Kate Gregory
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Joe Casadonte
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6 Answers6

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Gnocchi shaped? I am pretty sure they are Turdilli! .

It's a traditional Calabrian recipe: alt text

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They are deep-fried:

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And hot-soaked in honey too:

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Same biscotti, slightly different shapes:

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Bear in mind that fried cookies soaked in honey are a traditional treat for carnival and Christmas seasons all over Italy, so you may find many, many similar recipes. From http://www.marinacepedafuentes.com/2010_02_01_archive.html :

Evviva i Dolci di Carnevale rigorosamente fritti, che ricevono nomi diversi secondo i luoghi. In Toscana chiacchiere o trecce, e poi frappe laziali, castagnole romane, frittelle di riso molisane, fritole triestine, nigelan altoatesini, sfincitelle siciliane, tortelli romagnoli, bomboloni fiorentini, cicerchiata umbra e chi più ne ha più ne metta!

At left with figs syrup, at right with honey:

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A full blown italian fritti feast:

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Turdilli recipes in Italian

Turdilli recipes in English

Video: Making Turdilli

A shop near my house sells turdilli (hold your envy)

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Dr. belisarius
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I make a cookie like that. Our family calls it Conalicle. I it rolled and deep fried, then can be covered in Honey or heated caro. If your still looking for the recipe, I have it. I also have a picture, but it is too large to post here.

Stephie
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Steven Scancella
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    Stack Exchange does not support private mail between users. Better to post the recipe here if the ones in the accepted answer do not cover it. And you can reduce photos in size before trying to post here or you can post elsewhere and put a link here. – Willeke Dec 25 '20 at 10:22
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It sounds like the cookie my family makes. we call it a dudela it is a dough that gets rolled on a grater then deep fried and soaks in honey with an orange peel.

cheryl pirrera
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  • You must be southern Italian, like my family. I believe my grandfather called them "durdeel", which would be the southern pronunciation of turdilli. – Joe Casadonte Dec 23 '13 at 14:59
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I believe you might be looking for Cartellate, or Honey Pinwheels? Check this site out and see if they look familiar. http://www.mangiabenepasta.com/cartellate.html There are a lot of different recipes for them, but some of what I came across look like what you were describing.

FoodTasted
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my family calls them sculeete, but not sure that is the right spelling. Ours were braided and had whiskey, ginger, etc

Vicki
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Maybe you are thinking about Krumiri? They are very popular in Italy.

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Sklivvz
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