30-40 minutes

• 450 g (16 oz) white flour
• 150 g (5.30 oz) caster sugar plus the one to garnish
• 1 cup soy milk
• ½ sambuca1
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 g (0.035 oz) powdered vanilla
• 16 g (1/2 oz) backing powder
• Frying oil

Mix the sugar and the flour in a bowl. Add the soy milk (bit a bit), the corn starch, the powdered vanilla and the backing powder. The mixture must be elastic and not liquid (so add some flour if necessary). Deep fry the castagnole helping yourself with two teaspoons.

Sprinkle with caster sugar as soon as they are cooked.

This is another cult Italian Mardi Gras recipe.



Sambuca is a quite common old school liquour, made of trigon, anise and some other herbs, and alcohol of course. Quite common to hear a “caffè corretto alla sambuca” (hot Italian coffee with a sambuca shot) in Italian café’s by some hard tastes lovers.