Apple And Ricotta Frittelle

Gotta admit - I hate frying!  I liked the sound of this recipe, but frying 'em?  Nope, no can do - so I didn't :=)  I baked them, not just once but twice.  First time, they were okay, but second time, they were so much better ('cos I changed the recipe up a wee bit).  This recipe is from Julia Busuttil Nishimura's book Around The Table.  I made them for our online Lambs' Ears Cookbook Club.  

I've never been much of a joiner, but in my old age, it's all I seem to do.  A virtual cookbook club, a real-life cookbook club and a regular book club.  Who is this woman, I ask you? :=)  A busy and happy woman, that's who.

I ramped up all the flavours and the sugar from the original recipe, which came out pretty darn bland and not very sweet the first time I made them.  Maybe when they're fried, you just don't care? :=)  We liked them a lot more the second time.  So ramp up or not, as you wish.  I have basically doubled the sugar and spices and rum.  And of course, fry them in vegetable oil at 170C/340F if you are not a frying-method scaredy cat like me. 

delicious (2nd attempt) and a Hills Hoist (Princess Pia doing the honours)

Serves 12:

ingredients:

3-4 Tbs sultanas

2 Tbs spiced rum or Marsala (Julia says optional but I say not)

1 large Granny Smith apple (a firm, green cooking apple), coarsely grated

zest of 1 large lemon (if you can get a large one; they cost a bomb atm)

200g./7 oz full-fat ricotta

2 large eggs

4 Tbs caster sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp each of mixed spice, and of cinnamon and of nutmeg - see Notes

1/2-1 tsp mandarin dust (very optional but nice)

200g./7 oz (1.3 cups) self-raising flour

2-3 Tbs brown sugar, and extra cinnamon for dusting pre-bake

icing sugar, for post-bake dusting

Method:

Soak the sultanas in the rum for at least 30 minutes before you cook

Get your burly nephew to grate the apple and zest the lemon :=)

Grab a large mixing bowl, and tip in the ricotta, eggs, sugar, and whisk together till 'fairly smooth', says Julia

Now add the vanilla, spices, mandarin dust (if using), apple, sultanas (with their rum) and lemon zest, and stir in with a wooden spoon

Then in goes the flour, which you will stir in ever so gently till just combined

Grab a couple of tablespoons and put a heaping tablespoon or two into each of your paper-lined muffin holes (my batter made 12 frittelle just beautifully)

Sprinkle over some brown sugar and cinnamon on each (you choose how much)

Bake at 200C/390F for 20-25 minutes till golden, and/or a skewer stuck into their tiny hearts comes out clean

Let cool for a couple of minutes, then dust them with icing sugar

Eat the same day for best results, but okay the next day too

Notes:

I used spiced rum 'cos that's what I had, and I doubled the amount (as I did with the sugar), and also doubled the amount of sultanas and vanilla - I wonder if the fried version is very different?  ' Cos my first (baked) version was very bland when using her amounts

Julia only uses a pinch of cinnamon as her flavouring (that's it!), so I added the mixed spice, nutmeg, and mandarin dust and doubled the rum and sugar.  I also chose to soak the sultanas in the rum, to give it even more flavour (she does mention this in passing as a possibility)

Nephew and his hubby stayed over for a night just before Christmas, so I roped them in to assist with the frittelle.  It's so lovely to have family staying, as it doesn't happen often anymore.  Nephew (a native Queenslander) now lives in Canberra and works in the Public Service.  And the other nieces and nephews live elsewhere, doing their own thing.  So we were very happy to have them!  

ingredients gathered (yes, I used red apples the first time)

apple grated (core went to the crows) 

chuck in the ricotta, eggs, sugar etc

in goes everything else - and stir!

fold the flour thru (gently) till just combined

spoon in the batter, and dust with brown sugar and cinnamon

and done - after baking at 200C/390F for 20-25 mins.

Looks like that peacock is feeling hungry for frittelle :)   
(Nephew doing the honours here)

Sherry M.