Kroštule

The story

Kroštule are the Carnival pastry of the Croatian coast: thin ribbons of sweet dough, twisted or tied, fried until they blister and covered in powdered sugar. The Croatian National Tourist Board describes them as a sweet traditionally made at Carnival time and for special occasions in Istria and Dalmatia, and on the coast they are fried through the months between Christmas and Easter, above all for Carnival. Families also fry them at Christmas, and Croatia Week notes that they are served after a meal and are a favorite at gatherings of Croatian communities abroad. The dough is rich with egg yolks and lemon zest and takes a splash of rakija, grape or plum brandy, or rum. Cooks roll it as thin as they can, often through a pasta machine, cut it into strips, then pull one end through a slit in the middle or tie the strip into a loose knot or bow. In 2027 Carnival ends on Shrove Tuesday, 9 February, the day before Ash Wednesday. Because kroštule keep for about a week in a tin, they can be fried a few days ahead of a party and dusted again with sugar just before serving.