Venetian frittelle are traditional Venetian carnival sweets, an ancient recipe with many variations depending on the area and family, bakery, or pastry shop where they are made. In Venetian dialect, we call them “fritoe or fritole” and they are truly the symbol of the Venetian carnival, characterized by not having much sugar and being made with brewer’s yeast, in ancient times they were also made with a hole in the center like donuts, and instead of milk, water was used. Besides Venetian fritole, during the carnival, it was also customary to prepare fried cream or castagnole which are also known as favette in our region. I recommend trying PISTACHIO FRITTELLE, SOFT FRITTELLE WITH CREAM, Frittelle with cream, Nutella frittelle, Tiramisu frittelle and all other fritelle. Now let’s see how to make Venetian frittelle just like in Venice, and if you try them, let me know. Barbara
Here are other delicious recipes you absolutely must try:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6/8 people
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for Venetian Frittelle
- 3 1/4 cups Flour
- 1 tablespoon brewer's yeast
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 3/4 cup Raisins
- Milk (or water)
- 1 pinch Salt
- Pine nuts
- Grappa (optional)
- Peanut oil
- Powdered sugar
How to prepare Venetian fritelle
Proceed with preparing the Venetian Frittelle, soak the raisins in grappa or warm water for about ten minutes. You can knead in the stand mixer with the spiral hook, it will definitely be easier and yield better results; otherwise, proceed by hand.
Pour the flour and sugar into a bowl. Dissolve the yeast in a splash of milk and add it to the flour; add the eggs, a pinch of salt, and mix well to obtain a homogeneous mixture.
Remove the grappa or water from the raisins and squeeze them to remove excesses; add them to the mixture and also add the pine nuts. Pour in the milk or water to obtain a soft and sticky mixture; work everything for about ten minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for a few hours.
Now that the mixture has risen, mix it with a fork to deflate it. Pour the oil into a pot and heat it to 356°F; if you don’t have a thermometer, do the bubble test with the handle of a wooden ladle—if bubbles form around it, it means it’s hot.
With the help of a teaspoon, fry the frittelle in the hot oil, and when the Venetian fritelle are golden, drain them and let them dry on paper towels, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
How to store Venetian frittelle
Venetian frittelle should be consumed as soon as possible because they are best when freshly made.
