Fritole Veneziane
Fritole Veneziane, or frìtole in Venetian dialect, are traditional Venetian Carnival yeast fritters studded with plump sultanas and pine nuts, dusted with sugar.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 380 kcal
Equipment
- •Deep saucepan or heavy pot
- •Mixing bowl
- •Whisk
- •Slotted spoon
- •Kitchen paper
- •Sugar dredging bowl
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 54 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 7 g
- calories
- 380 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Soak the sultanas in the grappa for fifteen minutes until plump and soft.
- 2
Dissolve the fresh yeast with one teaspoon of caster sugar in the lukewarm milk.
- 3
Beat the eggs with the remaining caster sugar and salt until pale and lightly frothy.
- 4
Place the sifted flour in a large bowl and create a well in the centre.
- 5
Pour the milk mixture and beaten eggs into the flour well, whisking into a sticky, dense batter.
- 6
Fold the drained sultanas, pine nuts, and grated lemon zest evenly through the batter.
- 7
Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm spot for two hours.
- 8
Heat the groundnut oil in a deep saucepan to 170 degrees C.
- 9
Drop rounded walnut-sized spoonfuls of risen batter into the hot oil in small batches.
- 10
Fry for three to four minutes, turning continuously until deep golden and puffed throughout.
- 11
Transfer the fried fritole onto kitchen paper with a slotted spoon to drain briefly.
- 12
Toss the hot fritole in a bowl of caster sugar to coat evenly before serving.
Chef's tips
Maintain the frying oil strictly around 170 degrees C; too hot and the exterior burns while the middle remains raw dough. Use two small dessert spoons dipped in hot oil to drop neat rounds of sticky batter into the pan. If the batter seems too stiff after rising, stir in one extra tablespoon of lukewarm milk.
Ingredient substitutions
- grappa → warm water or rum to soak the sultanas
- groundnut oil → high-oleic sunflower oil for frying
Storage
Store leftover fritole uncovered at room temperature for up to one day, as enclosing them makes them soggy.
Reheating
Warm in an oven preheated to 150 degrees C for four minutes to refresh their crispness before rolling in a little fresh sugar.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Making the fritters too large, causing the centre to remain gummy and unbaked.
- •Frying in oil that is too cool, which causes the fritole to absorb excessive oil and become heavy.
- •Coating in sugar after they have cooled completely, preventing the sugar from adhering properly.
Serving suggestions
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