FoodVenetian fritole: Carnival's sweet escape from tradition

Venetian fritole: Carnival's sweet escape from tradition

Carnival is a time for celebration, and in addition to classic sweets, it's a great opportunity to explore the flavors of cuisines from around the world. A good starting point is Italy, particularly the delightful treats from Venice. Fritole with raisins are a must-have sweet snack for this festive season, and the recipe is quite simple!

Fritole delight with delicate dough and the sweetness of raisins.
Fritole delight with delicate dough and the sweetness of raisins.
Images source: © Adobe Stock

It's worth trying out and testing different options for Carnival as early as January, especially those from other countries. A perfect example is Venetian fritole, but the possibilities don't end there.

What do we eat during Carnival?

Carnival is a time when various sweets reign supreme on our tables. There's a time for everything, including donuts without filling but loaded with raisins. For these, you don't need cutters; two spoons will suffice for frying.

Recipe for fritole - Venetian donuts

For an adult version, consider soaking the raisins in rum. To enhance the flavor and aroma, you can also add lemon zest and seeds scraped from a vanilla bean to the mix.

Ingredients:

  • 3 oz raisins,
  • 11 oz all-purpose flour,
  • a pinch of salt,
  • 2 oz sugar,
  • 2 eggs,
  • 0.42 oz fresh yeast,
  • 7 fl oz milk,
  • oil for frying,
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar.

Preparation:

  1. Soak raisins in hot water.
  2. Sift the flour into a bowl and add a pinch of salt.
  3. Heat the milk, being careful not to boil it. Crumble the yeast and add sugar. Stir and set aside for the yeast to activate.
  4. Drain and dry the raisins.
  5. Mix the flour, eggs, yeast mixture, and raisins into a uniform dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 2 hours.
  6. Heat the oil to around 350°F—use a kitchen thermometer for accuracy.
  7. Prepare two spoons. Don’t stir the dough; scoop portions of the dough with one spoon and use the other to slide it into the oil. Fry until golden, about 2-3 minutes, depending on the size of the donuts.
  8. Remove the Venetian fritole with a slotted spoon onto paper towels, and after they cool slightly, coat them in sugar.

Related content