POTATO RING DONUTS
Have you ever wondered how it’s possible to transform a simple dough of flour, potatoes, water, and yeast into a delicious treat? The answer comes straight from Naples: these are the POTATO RING DONUTS better known as CARNIVAL DONUTS or NEAPOLITAN DONUTS!
Soft fried sweet ring donuts covered in sugar that captivate with their texture and incredibly soft dough thanks to the addition of boiled potatoes and the double rising. These are a leavened dessert traditionally prepared in Naples during Carnival along with other typical specialties, like the MIGLIACCIO, but now they can be enjoyed all year round as they are easily found in Neapolitan pastry shops.
But there’s more behind these delights: an ancient story of tradition and culinary passion. The POTATO RING DONUTS have deep roots and their origin dates back to the period of Austrian domination, as they seem to be a reinterpretation of the German KRAPFEN that arrived in Campania in the early 18th century. Skilled Neapolitan pastry chefs were inspired by that dessert and created the first donuts, using local ingredients.
The traditional recipe for POTATO RING DONUTS involves a double rise of the dough and cooking in hot oil, to achieve that typical crispy golden exterior and incredible softness on the inside. This combination of textures makes the donuts unforgettable and irresistible.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Frying, Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 284.53 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 42.87 (g) of which sugars 6.38 (g)
- Proteins 8.85 (g)
- Fat 8.95 (g) of which saturated 5.19 (g)of which unsaturated 3.27 (g)
- Fibers 1.67 (g)
- Sodium 270.42 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 1 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for traditional Neapolitan donut recipe
- 4.6 oz all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp instant dry yeast (or 11 g fresh)
- 10.6 oz potatoes
- 14.1 oz bread flour
- 2.5 oz all-purpose flour
- 1.8 oz sugar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 lemon zest (grated)
- 3 eggs (medium)
- 1 tsp salt
- 3.5 oz butter
- butter (for greasing)
- 4 cups peanut oil (for frying)
- granulated sugar (for sprinkling donuts)
Tools
- Pot
- Bowl
- Potato Masher
- Mixer
- Baking Tray
- Parchment Paper
- Cookie Cutter
Procedure to prepare Neapolitan donuts
Before starting a small tip on the POTATOES: choose starchy ones, preferably with yellow or white flesh, avoid watery potatoes like new potatoes, they will allow you to have a soft dough and a sweet with a well-visible alveolation
Wash the potatoes, then boil them in plenty of water: it will take about 30 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. Prepare the pre-dough by placing the sifted flour (130 g) and the yeast (3 g if dry, 11 g if fresh) in a bowl and mix them with the warm milk (120 ml) until you get a smooth and homogeneous mixture. Cover the pre-dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 1 hour in a place away from drafts. When the potatoes are cooked, peel and mash them with a potato masher, and let them cool.
Put the bread flour and the sifted all-purpose flour, honey, sugar, cooled mashed potatoes, and grated lemon zest into a bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer – leaf hook). Also add the eggs, slightly beaten beforehand, then start kneading (activate the stand mixer) until the dough is firm. At this point, add the pre-dough and continue to work the mixture (if using a stand mixer, replace the leaf hook with the dough hook) until the pre-dough is well incorporated. Finally, add the salt and incorporate the soft butter little by little, waiting for it to be absorbed before proceeding with the next piece.
Transfer the dough onto a slightly greased work surface (not floured) with a little melted butter and knead it with your hands to make it smooth and give it a spherical shape. Place it in a bowl covered with plastic wrap and let it rise for at least 2 hours in a place away from drafts.
After the rising time, take the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin on a floured work surface. Use a cookie cutter or a glass to cut out discs. Use a smaller cookie cutter or a bottle cap to cut out the center, removing the central part. Cut the parchment paper into squares of about 15 x 15 cm and place a donut on each piece of paper. Place the donuts obtained on a baking tray, cover them with a cloth, and let them rise until doubled (about 1 hour).
After the final rise, heat the peanut oil in a tall and narrow saucepan (it should reach between 320°F and 338°F). When the oil reaches the indicated temperature, take one donut at a time by touching only the paper and immerse it in the oil, being careful not to burn your hands. Cook no more than 2-3 donuts at a time, a couple of minutes per side: they should become evenly golden. When they are ready, drain them with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil. Roll the still-warm donuts in granulated sugar to completely cover them and serve them hot.
For those who prefer a lighter version but still delicious, it’s possible to bake the NEAPOLITAN DONUTS instead of frying them. I recommend baking them in a preheated fan oven at 340°F for about 15-20 minutes. The result will be different but still exquisite.
STORAGE
Neapolitan donuts are perfect to enjoy hot, freshly fried. However, they remain soft when stored in a freezer bag or an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
TIPS FOR PERFECT DONUTS
From the choice of potatoes to the double rising, the cutting of the donuts, the right oil temperature, and a trick to fry them without deflating. Here are some tips to achieve perfect NEAPOLITAN DONUTS.
POTATOES: The classic version of donuts includes potatoes in the dough. Choose starchy ones, preferably with yellow or white flesh, avoid watery potatoes like new potatoes. Peel and boil them until tender, checking with a toothpick if they are soft to the core, then mash them: they will allow you to have a soft dough and a sweet with a well-visible alveolation
RISING: As with all leavened doughs, you need patience: the trick for a good dough is to use a little yeast, which may result in slightly longer times, especially if you prepare the pre-dough first, but with the advantage of a soft and tasty sweet. The first rising should happen in bulk, by placing the dough in a bowl kept covered with a clean cloth for about three hours, preferably in the oven with the light on or away from cold air currents. The second rising occurs after forming the shapes and will last a little less, about an hour. Cover the formed donuts with a cloth and let them rise until they double in volume.
HOW TO CUT THE DONUTS If you want to create round and regular shapes, you can roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface and, using a cookie cutter or a glass, cut out equal discs. Then using a smaller cookie cutter, cut out the center and remove the central part, which you can then knead again to create more donuts. Another way to shape the donuts is to take a small portion of dough and roll it. Create sausage shapes not excessively large, cut them to about 6 inches in length, then close them by overlapping the two ends. Then place the donuts on a tray lined with non-stick paper for the second rise.
HOW TO PREVENT DONUTS FROM DEFLATING
If you are traditionalists and are preparing the FRIED DONUTS version, here’s a trick to prevent them from deflating: cut the parchment paper into squares, place them on a tray and position the donuts on top for the second rise. This way, when frying, you can lift the parchment paper and place the donuts directly into the hot oil without touching the dough. The paper will then easily detach itself in the pan. If you are preparing the BAKED DONUTS, simply position them on a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper and let them rest for an hour: at the time of baking, transfer the tray directly to the oven.
FRYING THE DONUTS Heat the peanut oil, preferably, in a tall-sided pot filling it just over halfway. Bring it to a temperature of 340°F. If you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, use a long toothpick, like a skewer: insert it vertically into the hot oil, and if bubbles form around the stick, the oil is hot enough. Always check the oil level, and if you notice it decreasing, add more oil and heat it again. Fry a maximum of three or four donuts together: by adding too many, you risk lowering the oil temperature and having uneven cooking.
CHARACTERISTICS OF NEAPOLITAN DONUTS
They are not filled, and require an indispensable step in granulated sugar. Even in Sicily, there is a variant, which can remain as a ‘doughnut,’ or round and full: this is the case, for example, with the one from Trapani, which is filled with a cream based on ricotta and chocolate chips. Another sign of the Middle European roots of the donuts is the presence of potatoes in the dough, although today there are variations of the Donuts recipe without potatoes.
VARIATIONS OF NEAPOLITAN DONUTS
QUICK DONUTS WITHOUT POTATOES: This version differs from the traditional Donuts for the absence of potatoes and the use of baking powder, which is instant, making this recipe much faster. There is no need for rising, so you proceed directly to frying. To prepare them, you will need these INGREDIENTS: 500 g of all-purpose flour, 3 eggs, 100 g of sugar, 90 g of butter, 100 g of milk, the zest of one grated lemon, 1 packet of baking powder, a pinch of salt, 1 liter of peanut oil (for frying), enough granulated sugar (for decoration). PROCEDURE: In a bowl, break the eggs and mix them with the sugar, then add grated lemon zest, melted butter, milk, and continue mixing. Sift together: flour, cornstarch, and baking powder and add them to the mixture little by little with a pinch of salt. Mix, and as soon as the dough starts to detach from the bowl, transfer it to a floured work surface. Knead until smooth and homogeneous. Roll it out with a rolling pin and use a cookie cutter or a glass to cut out circles and with a smaller cookie cutter than the glass, cut out the center. The remaining pieces can be kneaded again. Heat plenty of peanut oil in a tall-sided pan, and when it reaches temperature, start frying the donuts a few at a time. When they are well golden on both sides, drain them, place them on a tray lined with kitchen paper, and before they cool, roll them in granulated sugar.
The best places to enjoy Neapolitan donuts in Naples
For Neapolitan donuts, and not only during Carnival, the reference point is Chalet Ciro. On the Mergellina waterfront since 1952, it started frying them every day a decade ago, with (to say the least) creative interpretations that attract lines of customers. For example, the ‘Conograffa,’ a generous doughnut cone, to which creams, ice cream, and various sprinkles are added. In Vomero, there is even a ‘donut shop’ entirely dedicated, Magn Magn, while the sweet treat is not missing at the historic Gran Caffè Gambrinus and Scaturchio. Finally, those from Augustus pastry on Via Toledo are also much loved.
HISTORY OF NEAPOLITAN DONUTS
Neapolitan donuts actually originated in Austria. You are all surely familiar with Krapfen, ‘bombs’ of leavened and fried dough generally filled with jam or cream. Krapfen – Graffe: a couple of consonants of difference, but the same origin, both linguistic and gastronomic. It is precisely from the Austrian Krapfen that the Donuts descended, arriving during the brief presence of Charles VI of Habsburg, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Naples. For both, the ancestral word would be the Gothic krapfo or krappo, meaning hook, referring to the shape, which corresponds to the current shape of the Campanian version.
