My Grandma’s Quick and Light Fritters, Egg and Lactose-Free.
These fritters were made by my maternal grandma (born in Spoleto) for us grandchildren whenever we suddenly craved something sweet. She used to call them with a strange nickname: “patalocchi“, which I later discovered was the name for typical Spoleto fritters.
In truth, the original recipe from Spoleto includes an egg among the ingredients, but my grandma didn’t use it (making them even lighter), and so in two minutes she would quickly mix water, flour, and a splash of cognac, and immediately have sweet and light fritters ready to satisfy us grandchildren for a snack, in no time.
These simple, quick, and light fritters are delicious eaten simply sprinkled with granulated sugar, but they can also be filled with Nutella, jam, honey, maple syrup, etc., and are also good in a savory version (obviously omitting the sugar in the batter) filled with cheese and cured meats for a quick savory snack.
They are ideal for breakfast or a snack or whenever you get a sudden sweet craving.
I assure you that – despite their simplicity – they are worth trying, they disappear in no time because one leads to another.
And with cane sugar and oat flour, they are also vegan and light.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 24 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons, Carnival
Ingredients for My Grandma’s Quick and Light Fritters
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/8 cups water (warm)
- 1/3 cup olive oil (plain, NOT extra virgin)
- 2/5 cup granulated sugar
- 2 3/4 tbsp cognac (or rum)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch fine salt
- as needed olive oil (or seed oil, for cooking the fritters)
- as needed granulated sugar (preferably Zefiro, for garnishing the fritters)
- as needed vanilla powdered sugar (for garnishing the fritters)
Tools
- Scale electronic, Girmi
- Bowl
- Hand Whisk professional
- Crepe Pan Ballarini, non-stick
Steps for My Grandma’s Quick and Light Fritters
Take a bowl and pour in the flour, warm water, granulated sugar, 80 ml of olive oil, cognac (or other preferred liquor), vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
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Mix all the ingredients with a hand whisk quickly, just enough time to get a semi-liquid, smooth, and lump-free batter.
If you’re not in a hurry, let the batter rest covered for 10 minutes.
Take a non-stick pan and grease it with very little olive or seed oil (you can also pour a little oil on absorbent paper and grease the pan each time you add the batter to cook) heat it and cook the fritters, pouring 3 or 4 small ladles of batter at a time, for about 3 minutes.
Once all the fritters are cooked (with these amounts you will get about 24 fritters), sprinkle them well with granulated sugar (possibly fine sugar like Zefiro, mixed with vanilla powdered sugar) and serve them as they are or fill them however you like.
I prefer them simple and sugary.
Shopping Tips!!!
I weighed all the ingredients with this handy electronic scale.
Ideal for quickly obtaining a smooth and lump-free batter, this professional hand whisk.
I cooked the fritters in this handy non-stick crepe pan.
You can find everything on Amazon, at a special price (click the respective links above).
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is meant by fritter?
A fritter refers to a portion of semi-liquid dough, which can be combined with other ingredients. Typically round and flattened in shape, prepared by frying. It can be either sweet or savory.
