Piran Fritole
Fritole are a type of small fried doughnuts enriched with raisins and served warm, covered in powdered sugar. They are related to the Venetian frittelle, ‘fritoea or fritola’ in dialect, which have always been considered the national dessert of the Serenissima Republic (which also included the coast of modern day Slovenia).
The first recipe for fritelle dates back to the second half of the 1300s and is preserved in the Casanatense National Library in Rome. In Venice they were prepared only by special tradesmen called fritoleri, who formed an association that ensured each of them their own exclusive sales area, which was then strictly passed from father to son, along with the profession.
In 1700, frittelle were fried in oil or pork fat, sprinkled with sugar, and then strung on a skewer that allowed them to be eaten without getting dirty. With time many versions of the recipe appeared in Venice: from the traditional ones, empty or filled either with raisins or pine nuts, to the richer ones filled with custard or chocolate; up to the variations with fruit, flowers and herbs. The recipe below is from Piran (hence Piranske fritole) and contains all the ingredients mentioned: pumpkin, apples, raisins, pine nuts, chocolate and more!
History of the Queen of Venice Carnival: Frittella!
Okus po morju Stara istrska kuhinja, Lucija Čok
Recipe
Ingredients:
150 g flour
250 g pumpkin purée
250 g grated apples
2 tbsp rum
25 g vanilla sugar (can be replaced with 25 g sugar and a bit of vanilla essence)
1 tsp baking powder
30 g chopped pine nuts
50 g chopped chocolate (dark, 70%)
50 g ground almonds
50 g finely chopped dried figs
zest of 1 lemon
50 g raisins, soaked in rum
pinch of salt
oil for frying, powdered sugar
Instructions:
In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
In a separate bowl, mix chopped pine nuts, chopped chocolate, lemon zest, ground almonds, chopped figs, vanilla sugar, rum and raisins.
Add these to pumpkin purée and grated apples and mix thoroughly.
Slowly mix in the flour.
Heat oil at least 5cm deep in a deep fryer or a large Dutch oven to 180C (360 F).
Take a small spoon and dip it into the oil so that it heats up. Then take a spoonful of dough and put it into the oil. If the fritter starts falling apart after a couple of minutes, add more flour and try again.
Once you reach the desired consistency, take a spoonful of dough and put it into the oil one by one and repeat until there is no more room in the pan.
Once the bottom side becomes golden brown, turn each fritola around and fry on the other side.
Once fritole are golden brown, take them out and place them on a rack.
Serve warm, sprinkled with powdered sugar.
