Struffoli (Angelina’s Honey Balls)

Making the Dough

1. You begin by making dough with the first six ingredients. This was traditionally done by making what the Italians call a fontana, or fountain of flour, in the middle of which you make a well for other ingredients, then slowly incorporating the flour into the well by hand as you beat the eggs and other liquid ingredients with a fork. These days, however, a stand mixer makes short work of this. Just put in your flour, then the other ingredients, and mix until you get a nice dough, just as if you were making pasta.
2. Once the ingredients have formed a smooth dough, form it into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for a good 30 minutes or so.

Forming the struffoli

1. After the dough has rested, take a handful of it at a time and roll it into a ball. Then roll each ball out into a 'log' as if you were making gnocchi, pulling on the ends from time to time stretch it out thinner, until it's about the thickness of your little finger. (If you can manage it, that it. Otherwise as close to that as you can get). Then cut the logs into short lengths, again just like you are making gnocchi, only much smaller.
2. Place the little pieces on a floured towel as you work, making sure that they are all in a single layer so they don't stick. Just before proceeding to the next step, you grab the ends of the towel and swish the balls around to lightly flour them.

Frying

1. Heat the oil in a large pan. You want lots of oil so the little balls can deep fry in it. When the oil is nice and hot, but not boiling, plunge the dough balls into the oil a handful at a time. The oil will immediately bubble up vigorously. 
2. Fry the dough balls until they are lightly browned. Drain on paper towels while you proceed to the next step.

Finishing the struffoli

1. Now, in an ample sauté pan or saucier or wok large enough to hold all of the dough balls, gently heat the honey until it liquifies. Add the stuffoli, stir or toss them gently to coat. Allow the struffoli to soak up the honey for a few minutes. If using the candied fruit (see Notes below) you will want to add them at this point.
2. Remove your struffoli from the pan with a slotted spoon and arrange them on a plate. It is common to arrange them in a ciambella or ring, but you can also simply pile them high into a little 'Mount Vesuvius'. Let me cool, then decorate with some more candied fruit if you like Then sprinkle your pile with the sprinkles.  
3. Stuffoli can be eaten immediately, but improve with age.