Pettole, Apulian Fried Dough Balls

Pettole are fried dough balls, a Christmas treat common throughout Apulia, and according to legend were a gift to the poor from Baby Jesus: A woman who was kneading the dough to make bread for her family heard a commotion outside -- it was the shepherds hurrying to the manger -- and decided to join them.

Just for a short time, she thought, as she covered the dough, but when she got there she knelt to pray, and by the time she got home the dough had overrisen, becoming an unworkable sticky mess. For someone as poor as she, it was a terrible loss.

The neighbors heard her cries, and someone brought some new olive oil. They set it to heat and began to toss in bits of dough, which expanded, blowing up, hissing and crackling, and giving off the most divine perfumes: Miraculous delight! Thus was born the pettola, the Christmas bread given to the poor by Baby Jesus.