AI-generated image
Frittelle veneziane
Fritole: Venice's Carnival fritters with raisins and pine nuts, rolled in sugar
For the weeks before Lent, every pastry shop in Venice is piled with fritole, golden balls of fried yeast dough studded with raisins and pine nuts, and masked visitors eat them from paper bags as they wander between the campi. They were once sold from street stalls by a guild of fritter-makers and are still the true taste of the Venetian Carnival: crisp and sugary outside, light and bready within. The traditional batter has a spoon of grappa or rum; here orange juice takes its place, which suits children too. Chef's tip: fry a single fritter first to check the oil heat and timing.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the batter
To fry and finish
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (5)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Soak 2 ½ oz raisins in warm water for 15 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
15 minStep 2: Stir ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast into ½ cup lukewarm whole milk and leave for 5 minutes until foamy.
5 minStep 3: Mix 9 oz plain flour, 1 ¾ oz caster sugar and 1 pinch salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, 2 eggs, 1 oz butter and 1 tsp lemon zest and beat with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes to a thick, sticky, elastic batter.
5 minStep 4: Fold in the raisins, 1 oz pine nuts and 2 tbsp orange juice.
Step 5: Cover and leave in a warm place for about 1½ hours, until doubled and full of bubbles.
90 minStep 6: Heat 4 ¼ cups sunflower oil in a deep pan to 350°F, or until a cube of bread browns in 40 seconds.
Step 7: Drop walnut-sized spoonfuls of batter into the oil with two spoons dipped in water, 5–6 at a time. Common mistake: oil that is too hot; the fritters brown in seconds and stay raw in the middle.
Step 8: Fry for 4–5 minutes, turning, until deep golden all over; they often roll over by themselves.
5 minStep 9: Drain on kitchen paper for 1 minute, then roll in 2 ⅛ oz caster sugar while warm. Eat the same day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does frittelle veneziane take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 100 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of lukewarm whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Boiled pasta
The basic method for any dried pasta, from penne to spaghetti. A large pan of salted boiling water keeps the pasta from sticking, and you cook it only until just done, with a little bite left. Use it in salads, bakes or with any sauce.
Mint pistachio pesto
A fresh, fragrant pesto made with mint leaves and toasted pistachios. It is lovely tossed through hot pasta or spooned over roasted vegetables, and a spoonful lifts a plain vegetable soup.
Baklava
The famous layered pastry: crisp sheets of buttered fillo sandwich a filling of almonds, pistachios and cashews spiced with cinnamon, cardamom and saffron. After baking, the hot baklava is soaked in a syrup of sugar, honey, lemon, rose and cardamom and decorated with almond and pistachio flakes. Cut into 40 diamonds; serve with fresh cream or ice cream.