And here we are at the second highly anticipated appointment of the month of September with the column Il Granaio! For this special occasion, I want to offer you a super tasty recipe, one of those to prepare for a casual aperitif with friends! These are fried dough balls that are super crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Usually, they are very present in Neapolitan gastronomy both simple, according to the basic recipe, and enriched with seaweed or zucchini flowers. However, the ones I am proposing to you are made even more delicious with a filling of black olives and sun-dried tomatoes. They are real treats to enjoy while still hot, just fried! Yes, you heard right! Sometimes even in my kitchen, we fry! Indispensable to enjoy these typical delights of Campanian street food, perhaps served inside a cone-shaped paper. Once fried, they will appear nice and puffy and flavorful, thanks to the creation of a simple batter based on water, flour, and yeast. If you have never tried them, it’s time to put on your apron and prepare them for some special occasion! I promise, you will make a great impression!

Other ideas for your special aperitifs below:

Difficulty: Medium
Cost: Medium
Rest time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
Preparation time: 15 Minutes
Portions: 4 people
Cooking methods: Frying
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it won’t cost you anything extra!

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup water (at room temperature)
8 g fresh yeast (or 4 g. of dry yeast)
1 1/2 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil
4 black olives
as needed peanut oil
5 g salt (+ as needed)

Tools

1 Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Dish Towel
1 Knife
1 Cutting Board
1 Thermometer
1 Sauté Pan
2 Spoons
Tongs
Paper Towels

Preparation

Start by dissolving the yeast in a little water taken from the total. Pour it into a large mixing bowl along with the flour.
Mix with a wooden spoon and gradually add the rest of the water.
Once the ingredients are combined, add the salt.
With slightly damp hands, work the dough directly in the bowl, making small folds on itself.
You should obtain a smooth and elastic dough. Cover with a dish towel and let it rest for 1 hour.
In the meantime, drain the sun-dried tomatoes very well, pat them dry with kitchen paper, and finely chop them with the olives.
Add them to the batter.
Fold the dough without stressing it too much and cover again with a dish towel.
Let it rise in the turned-off oven with the light on for about 1.5 hours or until it doubles in volume.
After the rising time is over, heat the oil in a medium-deep pan until it reaches 338°F. If you don’t have a digital thermometer, you can use the toothpick test*. Take small amounts of batter with two slightly wet spoons and let them slide into the hot oil.
Fry a few fritters at a time for a couple of minutes or until fully golden.
Once cooked, drain them on kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little salt.
Let them cool slightly before serving.
And voilà… the fried dough balls with olives and sun-dried tomatoes are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appetit from La Cucina di FeFè!

Storage

👉If you have any leftovers, once cooled, you can store the fritters at room temperature inside an airtight container or bag. They will still be delicious the next day!

Tips, notes, variations and suggestions

🟣* The most homemade and rudimentary method to understand if the oil is ready consists of dipping the tip of a toothpick into the hot oil; if it makes many bubbles, the oil should be at temperature. Or if using batter, just put a piece in and see if it starts to fry.

And now, I invite you to take a look at the Facebook page of Il Granaio, to admire our incredible recipes and get inspired!

And with great honor and pleasure I leave you today’s proposals from my talented food blogger colleagues:

Carla: brioche flowers with ricotta

Sabrina: Semolina bread with pumpkin and sunflower seeds

Simona: Sicilian remilled semolina bread (with sourdough)

Zeudi: Chocolate cookies like hiding places

You might also be interested in:

Braided rolls with seeds (dough with potatoes)