Today for the Carnival period I made apple, rice, and raisin fritters like my mom used to make when I was little. I remember mom didn’t make them just for Carnival, because they were so good they were timeless. These fritters are soft, delicious, and fragrant based on rice, apple pieces, raisins, and flavored with lemon zest. Delicious to enjoy hot or cold with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Try also the cenci, prepared following the traditional Pellegrino Artusi recipe.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 15 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 18 pieces
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Carnival
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 7 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 Golden apple
- 1 lemon
- as needed sunflower oil (for frying)
- as needed powdered sugar
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- Pot
- Cutting board
- Bowl
- Colander
- Grater
- Spoon
- Frying pan
- Skimmer
- Paper towels
- Tray
- Knife
Preparation
First, heat the water to cook the rice. Once it boils, pour the rice in and cook it over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Meanwhile, soak the raisins in a small bowl of warm water.
When the rice is cooked, drain it well, pour it into a bowl, and let it cool for 15 minutes.
Then in the bowl with the rice, add the sugar, well-drained raisins, peeled and thinly sliced apple, grated lemon zest, baking powder, flour, and eggs. Mix everything well to obtain a soft and well-compact mixture.
Now take the frying pan, pour in the sunflower oil, and heat it well; it should reach 212°F (try dipping a toothpick, bubbles should form around it or you can use a kitchen thermometer). Meanwhile, place some paper towels on a tray or plate.
When the oil is hot, take a bit of the mixture with a spoon and gently lay it into the oil. Fry, browning the fritters on each side, continuing until all the mixture is used up.
Finally, sprinkle powdered sugar over the fritters and serve them hot right after making, but they are also delicious at room temperature.
