Grandma’s Immaculate Sfinci, soft balls of leavened and fragrant dough, fried in hot oil and rolled in sugar. Every holiday has its culinary specialties and in my city, Agrigento, it is also customary on December 8 to eat sandwiches with spleen, “schetta” or “maritata” (“schetta” indicates a single woman, while “maritata” indicates a married woman. In the case of the sandwich with spleen, this indicates whether the spleen is accompanied by ricotta or not). Two dishes, then, that are served for this celebration, one sweet, the other savory. The Sfinci, which I propose today, are a real delicacy, I preferred to add cinnamon and orange zest for aroma, but this is just a proposal, everyone can add what they prefer. In any case, they will always be Immaculate fritters that will make the holiday meal special.
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 3 Days 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6 Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients for Grandma’s Immaculate Sfinci
- 7 oz potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups semolina flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 oz fresh yeast
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 orange zest
- as needed granulated sugar (for coating)
- 1/2 liter sunflower oil (for frying)
What You Need for Grandma’s Immaculate Sfinci
- 1 Potato Masher
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Zester
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Thermometer
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Skimmer
- Paper Towels
- Food Wrap
Procedure for Grandma’s Immaculate Sfinci
To prepare the Sicilian Immaculate Sfinci, you must start by boiling the potatoes in water for about 30-40 minutes or until they can be easily pierced with a fork.
Choose small-sized potatoes, not only will they cook more evenly, but also cook in less time. After washing, place them with the skin on in a pot with cold water.
Once cooked, drain the potatoes and, when warm, peel and mash them. If desired, they can be placed in the potato masher with the skin on.
Collect the puree in a bowl. Meanwhile, dissolve the fresh yeast in a small amount of milk taken from the total and mix well.
Add the sugar, zest of an organic orange, softened butter in pieces, the remaining warmed milk, cinnamon, and yeast to the potatoes.
Combine the two sifted flours, coarsely mix with a fork and add the beaten eggs.
Now, knead with your hands until all ingredients are well combined, then cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place for rising. Ideally, place the bowl in a turned-off oven with the light on.
When the dough has tripled in volume, heat oil in a saucepan. If you have a thermometer to measure the temperature, use it, otherwise check by immersing a toothpick halfway into the oil. When bubbles form around the stick, the oil is ready for frying.
Dip two spoons in the oil and scoop out slightly less than half a spoon of dough from the risen mass, letting it fall into the oil.
If the oil is at the right temperature, the dough will first sink, rise quickly to the surface, and begin to puff up.
During frying, stir often so that the sfinci can color evenly. At this point, remove them from the oil and place them on absorbent paper to drain excess oil.
Continue this process until all the dough is used. While still warm, roll the sfinci in granulated sugar and serve.
And now, all that’s left is to sit down and enjoy these super soft Grandma’s Immaculate Sfinci!
FAQ
If there are leftovers, how can I store them?
In an airtight container in the fridge. Just take them out an hour before consuming so they regain their softness.
