Venetian ‘frittelle’
A magical delight for the taste buds with ancient traditions

As a young lad I used to spend the carnival holidays at my uncle Dino’s house in Venice. ‘Frittelle’ (deep-fried leavened doughnuts) are sacrosanct in the Veneto region, so you can imagine what they mean in Venice, where they have a veritable cult following. So, despite the masks and festive atmosphere, what captured my attention was the skill of my uncle and the other patisserie chefs in creating single portions of semi-liquid leavened dough and plunging them into hot oil without spilling a drop. The temptation to have a go for myself was irresistible, and I think I still have a few small scars on my hands to tell the tale…
Ingredients for 6 to 8 persons. For the best results and to avoid the risk of burns, this recipe calls for caution and quick, precise movements. In a large bowl, dissolve 10 g brewer’s yeast in 150 g fresh milk using a whisk. Add 40 g sugar, the grated zest of half a lemon and half an orange, 300 g medium strength flour, 5 g salt and 50 g butter to the bowl and mix to make a very runny dough. Gradually add 2 eggs, 40 g pine seeds and 75 g sultanas, and finish mixing until you have a soft but elastic dough, almost like a babà dough. Cover and leave to leaven in the same bowl until it trebles in volume. Now heat a saucepan of peanut oil or non extra virgin olive oil on the hob to 175 °C. To make it easier to form the frittelle, keep a little cold oil in another bowl and use it to grease your hands generously. Lift out a portion of the leavened dough with one hand and squeeze it with the other hand to form a ball, dropping it directly into the boiling oil. Roll the frittelle around in the oil with a metal spider as they fry. Once they are perfectly golden, scoop out a few at a time, drain them and then place them on absorbent paper. Fill with crème pâtissière once lukewarm, roll in granulated sugar and arrange them on a plate for serving, if you can resist the temptation to just east them as they are…
Suggestions:
All deep-fried desserts are better served warm, and this is all the more true for Venetian frittelle.