There are all sorts of Carnival (Mardi Gras) pastries in Italy. Here we have the traditional Florentine rice fritters, frittelle di riso, which are also especially popular on March 19th, to celebrate San Giuseppe. To feed a multitude, you'll need:
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cup (350 g) rice (cheap rice is best here -- not parboiled, however)
- 1 quart (1 liter) milk
- The zest of one lemon
- 3-4 Tablespoons sugar
- A walnut-sized chunk of unsalted butter
- 3 eggs
- 1 jigger of rum or sweet wine -- vinsanto, for example --as you prefer
- 1 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Oil for frying
- Confectioner's sugar
Preparation:
Simmer the rice in the milk until it's quite soft and has begun to give off its starch, then stir in the sugar, lemon zest, and butter and let the mixture cool.
Separate the eggs and whip the whites to soft peaks. Stir the yolks and the rum or wine into the rice mixture, then fold in the egg whites, flour and baking powder. Drop the batter a teaspoon at a time into hot oil and fry the frittelle until they are a rich golden brown.
Drain them on absorbent paper, and when they have cooled dust them with confectioner's sugar.
Separate the eggs and whip the whites to soft peaks. Stir the yolks and the rum or wine into the rice mixture, then fold in the egg whites, flour and baking powder. Drop the batter a teaspoon at a time into hot oil and fry the frittelle until they are a rich golden brown.
Drain them on absorbent paper, and when they have cooled dust them with confectioner's sugar.
