Cenci [Fried pastry rags]

Ingredients

2 ½ cups all purpose flour
3 tbsp butter
½ cup powdered or confectioner's sugar (with more for dusting)
2 large eggs
1 or 2 tbsp brandy
¼ teaspoon salt

Method

Beginning with 2 1/2 cups flour, make a stiff dough with all the ingredients, and knead it well. If the dough is soft, and an extra 1/4 cup of flour. As we said, it should be a fairly stiff dough. Knead until smooth, and then let rest, covered, for an hour. Roll the dough out on a floured surface, until it is about 1/8 inch in thickness. Cut it into strips, about 1 1/2 by 3 inches, using a pastry cutting wheel. Make a slit down the middle of each cenci, and twist one end of the strip through this hole. Fry the cenci, a few at a time, in a large pot of hot vegetable oil. Carefully remove them from the oil when they are golden brown, and place them on paper towels to drain. Dust liberally with powdered sugar and serve. Cenci are best when freshly made.