Origin place card
Campania / Napoli (regionale)
Verified history
The source calls it a very ancient dish but gives no documented date.
Local hypothesis
The source proposes, hedged ('verosimilmente'/'con ogni probabilità'), a Greek origin (brought at Partenope's founding; name from 'strongulus', rounded).
Ingredients
Fried dough balls of eggs and flour, bound with honey; candied fruit and sugar confetti; dough also has butter, milk, lemon, salt, vanilla.
Method
Dough kneaded long, cut into ~1 cm balls, fried in oil, mixed with honey, shaped by hand on a tray, decorated with candied fruit and confetti.
Ritual / calendar
Christmas season.
Why travel for it
This is the sweet that makes a table look alive. Readers should want to stand over a tray while honey strings between spoon and dough.
Editorial warning
Greek origin and etymology are probable in the source’s language, not proven; label them as hypothesis. | The Greek-origin claim is explicitly hedged by the source; keep it as hypothesis, not history.
Fieldwork questions
Ask families whether they use butter or lard, milk or no milk, and whether decorations differ between Naples and inland Campania.