Venetian fritole: the recipe for carnival sweets with pine nuts and raisins

THE Venetian Fritole (or frittole) are unmissable Carnival pancakes during the holidays in all the pastry shops in the Lagoon. It is a preparation that has its roots in the 1500s when the fritoleri, professionals gathered in guilds, sold them on the streets and inside shops, along with bottles of red wine.

An ancestral recipe, transmitted from family to family with reading variations on the theme which, depending on the area of ​​origin (Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Istria) can be packaged in different ways: there are those who fill them with pastry cream or cocoa, those who, especially in the Verona region, flavor with grappa and enrich them with small pieces of apple, the one that incorporates the chocolate drops…

We stuck to the original version, made with raisins and dried fruit, and made them, as tradition dictates, from yeast: a pre-dough made from milk, crumbled brewer’s yeast and flour, left to stand at room temperature until the volume has doubled. Once the mixture has risen well, it is mixed in a bowl with the egg, sugar, flour and a handful of Pine nuts e raisins, and left to rise again, covered with a cloth, before being fried by a spoonful in boiling seed oil. The result will be chewy and delicious bites, to be dunked very hot in granulated sugar and savored. snackor at the end of a meal, accompanied by other essential sweets of the time.

THE venetian fritoeas they are called in the local dialect, are empty and do not exceed i 4cm in diameter. In order for the pasta to cook perfectly, giving it puffy and soft balls, it must be strictly fried: therefore, baking in the oven is not recommended as this would compromise the final result.

Find out how to prepare Venetian fritole by following the step-by-step procedure and tips. If you liked this recipe, also try the apple and walnut pancakes.

How to prepare Venetian fritole

Prepare the yeast: crumble the brewer’s yeast in the lukewarm milk 1.

Mix well with a teaspoon 2 to melt it.

Transfer everything to a bowl and add 4-5 tablespoons of flour 3.

Mix well with a whisk until the mixture is smooth and fluid 4.

Cover with a sheet of cling film 5 and let stand for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, soak the raisins in cold water 6 for about ten minutes; then squeeze it carefully and dry it with a sheet of paper towel.

Once doubled in volume, resume the leaven 7.

Transfer it to the bowl of a stand mixer 8.

Add the egg 9.

Mix the sugar ten.

Flavor with grated lemon zest 11.

Add the rest of the sifted flour 12 and mix everything well.

Add raisins 13.

Finish with pine nuts 14 and add them to the batter.

Cover with a clean tea towel and leave for 1 hour in a dry place until doubled in volume 15.

Heat the abundant seed oil in a high-sided saucepan 16.

Using two lightly greased spoons, take balls of dough and dip them in hot oil 17.

When they are golden, drain the fritole 18 and let them dry on a sheet of paper towel.

Pass them still hot in caster sugar 19.

Arrange the Venetian fritole in a serving dish 20bring to the table and serve.

storage

We suggest you eat the hot and fragrant Venetian fritole right now. Alternatively, they can be stored at room temperature, under a bell jar, for A day massive.