The traditional Ligurian fritters for Carnival are bugie, also known elsewhere in Italy as chiacchiere, crostoli, frappe…any Region a different name. I use to prepare them at least twice during Carnival week.
This year, though, I developed a fritters’ recipe with ricotta cheese for Frascheri Italia, a Ligurian milk and cheese maker, a family run business since generations.
The result are these amazing ricotta fritters with the flavor of lemon, indeed the flavor of Ligurian gardens at the end of winter time.
They are so quick and easy to prepare and cook and they are incredibly yummy, soft and moist.
Here the recipe, enjoy it for Carnival or for any last minute party with kids!
Ricotta fritters: it’s Carnival time!
Ingredients
- 250 g of ricotta cheese
- 100 g of flour
- 50 g of granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- Half sachet of baking powder
- A grated rind of an untreated lemon
- Peanut oil (for frying)
- Granulated sugar to decorate
Instructions
- Drain the ricotta cheese from its whey and pour it into a bowl.
- Add the eggs and stir with a fork. Then add the sugar and the lemon zest and stir. Finally add the flour, the sifted baking powder and work everything with a fork until you get a smooth dough without lumps.
- Heat the oil inside a saucepan or a saucepan with high edges. When it is boiling (175-180 , supposedly C) pour small portions of dough into it with the help of two teaspoons.
- Fritters will swell during cooking. Let them cook for about 2 minutes making them brown well on all sides (if they cook too little they remain liquid in the center).
- Drain them on absorbent paper then dip them immediately, still hot, in the granulated sugar.
- They are excellent hot but can also be stored for a couple of days in a paper bag.
