This is a typical sweet that is prepared in Modica, a village in the south-east of Sicily, on the 1st and 2nd November. Those are the days dedicated to the remembrance of relatives and friends who passed away. It is basically an important feast dedicated to family ancestors, and which have deep and important roots in the history and culture of all Italy.
These frittelle are basically doughnuts filled with apple chunks, raisins, pine nuts and wild fennel seeds. The latter, gives them an unique sent and flavor which is typical of this recipe.Usually kids look forward to these frittelle. The truth is that no one can resist them at home, especially because of the amazing scent they release once fried.
This is my version of our family recipe. I hope you will enjoy it 🙂
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 gwhite spelt flour (or Sicilian durum wheat flour)
- 300 mlmilk
- 100 gsultana
- 75 gpinenuts
- 20 gfresh yeast
- 2apple
- 2 spoonslight muscovado brown sugar
- 1 spoonfennel seeds
- 1 teaspoonground cinnamon
- 1juice of a lemon
- 1 pinchtable salt
Cooking and coating
- 1.5 lfrying oil (extra virgin olive oil or peanut oil)
- 3 spoonswhite sugar
Preparation
– put the raisins into a bowl and soak them in water for at least 15 minutes;
– in the meantime cut the apples into small cubes and mix them with the lemon juice (to avoid oxidation);
– dissolve the yeast and the sugar into the lukewarm milk;
– sift the flour onto a large bowl and pour the milk with the yeast;
– start kneading well with your hands;
– drain the sultanas and add them to the dough together with the apples, the pine nuts and the fennel seeds;
– add the pinch of salt and the ground cinnamon;
– knead well till you get a smooth dough;
– keep the dough into the bowl, cover it with a kitchen cloth and allow it to rest for at least 1 hour (away from air drafts);
– after 1 hour, form the dough into small balls (use 2 spoons to help you) and deep fry them;
– roll the resulting frittelle in white sugar;
N.B. Frittelle are best eaten soon after they are fried. They can still be enjoyed cold or the day after, however they tend to get a little harder and over moist on the outside.
