TURDILLI: TRADITIONAL CALABRIAN HONEY FRIED GNOCCHI

Do you know what one of the typical Calabrian sweets of the Christmas vacations is?

It is the Turdilli (in dialect turdiddi or turdiddri), a specialty spread especially in the Cosenza area and made with simple ingredients, the classic ones of the confectionery tradition of southern Italy: flour, eggs, wine, fig honey or other honey… A real treat for the palate, try it to believe!

The origin of Calabrian turdilli

The origin of turdilli is very ancient and their name recalls the Greek word for something small, like the shape of the delicious treats that look like dumplings, complete with streaks.

Legend has it that this sweet was brought to Calabria by the son of Hercules, Bretius, founder of the city of Cosenza.

Turdilli are believed to have secular origins and were prepared for the winter solstice celebrated in some regions of the Mediterranean, and their shape, resembling a spiral, symbolized the incessant succession of the seasons.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Authentic Tradition: A centuries-old recipe with ties to Calabria’s rich culture and Greek heritage.
• Simple Ingredients: Made with staples of Southern Italian confectionery.
• Holiday Delight: Perfect for the festive season, with their sweet, honeyed coating.

Cooking Time

• Preparation Time: 20 minutes
• Cooking Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Makes: About 30 Turdilli

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup sweet white or red wine (e.g., Moscato)
• A sprinkling of cinnamon
• Orange zest (optional)
• 1 egg (optional)

For Frying:

• Oil for frying

For the Topping:

• 1 cup honey (fig honey if available)
• Colored sprinkles (optional)

Step-by-Step Method

1. Prepare the Dough

1. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil and wine together.
2. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add sugar and cinnamon.
3. Pour the hot oil and wine mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring with a ladle.
4. Add the egg or orange zest (if using).
5. Knead the mixture by hand until smooth and not sticky, adding extra flour as needed.

2. Shape the Turdilli

1. Roll the dough into long ropes about 0.4 inches in diameter.
2. Cut the ropes into small chunks and roll each piece over a gnocchi board or the tines of a fork to create ridges.

3. Fry the Turdilli

1. Heat oil in a deep frying pan to the appropriate frying temperature.
2. Fry the turdilli in small batches until golden brown, then drain on paper towels.

4. Coat with Honey

1. Gently warm the honey in a small saucepan until it becomes more liquid.
2. Toss the fried turdilli in the warm honey, ensuring they are well-coated.

5. Decorate and Serve

1. Arrange the honey-coated turdilli on a serving plate.
2. Optionally, sprinkle with colored sprinkles for a festive touch.

Tips

• Wine Choice: Use a sweet wine like Moscato for an authentic flavor, or try red wine for a bold twist.
• Honey Substitute: If fig honey isn’t available, use high-quality bee honey.
• Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to a week; they maintain their flavor beautifully.

Nutritional Information (Per Turdillo)

Buon Appetito! Relish the rich traditions of Calabria with Turdilli. Whether for Christmas or any festive occasion, these honeyed treats will bring joy and sweetness to your table.

Traditional Calabrian Honey Fried Gnocchi Recipe

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Ingredients

  

• 2 +1/2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup of honey
• a sprinkling of cinnamon
• orange zest optional
• 1 cup of sweet white or red wine you can use Moscato
• 1 egg optional
• oil for frying
• colored sprinkles to taste

Instructions

 

METHOD 1

• On the ingredients it is good to make a small clarification: the optional ones refer to different variations of the same recipe and can be put in or not (according to taste); the egg helps more to bind the dough and make it easier to work with.
• In our opinion, tradition does not want the egg.
• One of the main ingredients in the recipe is the wine: it must be a sweet wine; most people use a white wine, such as Moscato, but the more daring do not disdain a good red wine.
• There are those who alternatively use to prepare them with vin cotto or, but we think we are straying from tradition, with vermouth.
• Finally, fig honey for the topping, on which a separate chapter should be opened because it is not bee honey but a molasses made from cooked figs prepared for centuries in Calabria with a long procedure.
• Finding this product in other parts of Italy may be quite difficult but do not despair, you can possibly substitute it with other bee honey.

METHOD 2

• In a small saucepan heat the oil and wine, meanwhile sift the flour and add it to the cinnamon and sugar; add the hot oil and wine to the flours and start stirring with a ladle.
• This is the time to add the egg or orange zest, if desired.
• When the mixture is workable, proceed to knead with your hands until it is smooth and not sticky (help yourself by adding flour as needed).
• Then proceed to form the turdilli as you would for gnocchi, create rolls with a diameter of 0.40 inches, cut them into chunks and create the lines on an ice pick or the tines of a fork.
• Fry your turdilli in plenty of hot oil and then drain them on paper towels.
• To finish, warm the fig honey or other honey just enough to make it more liquid, and swirl the turdilli in gently so that they absorb the honey.
• Arrange them on serving plate and decorate with colored sprinkles if you like.
• So, aren’t they goodness?

Notes

Makes about 30 Turdilli

STRUFFOLI: THE RECIPE FOR THE FAMOUS NEAPOLITAN CHRISTMAS HONEY BALLS