The RICE CRISPELLE are typical fried sweets from Catania made with rice, generally prepared around Saint Joseph’s Day, so much so that they are a traditional Father’s Day dessert. Very soft, they are a true explosion of citrus aromas on the palate.
In the rest of Sicily they are also known as rice zeppole.
It seems that the Benedictine nuns of the Catania monastery were the first to make this dessert in the 16th century, as recorded by ancient chronicles from Catania; zeppole are sometimes even called “Benedettine”.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups milk
- 3/4 cup rice (semi-fine)
- 1 1/5 cups all-purpose flour (00)
- 2 tbsp + 1 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh brewer's yeast
- lemon zest
- orange zest
- salt
- 17 fl oz peanut oil
- 1/3 cup orange honey
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Steps
The preparation of RICE CRISPELLE is really very simple.
To start, bring the milk to a boil with a pinch of salt. As soon as it boils, add the rice and cook over low heat until the milk is completely absorbed and the rice is very soft. I recommend tasting it and if it is still hard in the center, add a little hot water and continue cooking.
Remove the rice from the heat and, once lukewarm, blend it with an immersion blender until you obtain a smooth purée.
Add the sugar, the flour, the grated citrus zests and the fresh yeast dissolved in a little warm water.
Knead everything well, adding more flour if the dough is too sticky (which is normal).
Then place the dough ball in a bowl, cover it with food-grade plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place (oven with the light on) for at least 2 hours or until it has doubled in volume.
Once the rice crispelle dough has risen, tear off pieces and shape them into many little cylinders about the thickness of a finger and about 1.5–2 inches long.
Fry the rice crispelle over low heat in plenty of hot oil, turning them occasionally until they are nicely golden.
Drain them and let them dry on paper towels so they lose excess oil.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the honey with two teaspoons of cinnamon.
Then transfer your delicious rice crispelle to a serving plate and drizzle the warm honey-cinnamon mixture over them.
