My paternal grandmother was the queen of doughnuts! Hers was the precursor to what Canadian’s lovingly call timbits. The only part of a doughnut my grandfather liked was the hole left behind from the doughnut cutter. I can’t recall if he felt it was too much to eat a whole doughnut or he just preferred the small round ones. As long as I can remember, my grandmother always made them timbit-style. The thing is, most doughnut recipes call for yeast which means allowing them to rise; too much of a hassle for me and as such haven’t made in a number of years. However, that changed when I was surfing for ways to use fresh ricotta.
At the market last Saturday, I picked up a batch of Ciro’s fresh ricotta. He asked me how I planned to use it and I told him in a doughnut. His eyes lit up and said back in the day when he lived in Italy, his mother made the best ricotta doughnuts with grappa-laced raisins. Once the doughnuts were cooked, she would drizzle honey over them. I told Ciro that I had some vodka-infused kumquats and would add that to the batter. He grinned and said he looks forward to seeing the photos.
1 cup fresh ricotta
1 cup of milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, whisked lightly
2 cups flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
vegetable oil (for frying)
1/4 cup raisins or chopped dried fruit (optional)
In a saucepan over medium heat, add milk and sugar. Stir until sugar has dissolved and remove from heat. Whisk in eggs and the ricotta. In a bowl mix flour and baking powder and then add to the milk mixture. Grab another pot and fill with vegetable oil deep enough to hold the batter and heat to 375f (use a candy thermometer for accuracy). Using a tablespoon, scoop out dough then drop into hot oil. Do not overcrowd pot with dough. Cook three minutes or until golden. Remove with slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towel. Roll in sugar to coat or drizzle honey over warm doughnuts.
The Culinary Chase’s Note: My grandmother always used an electric frying pan/skillet as she found it kept an even temperature. Keep an eye on the oil as you don’t want it to get too hot or cool below 375f. If it does, the outside will cook but the inside will be a bit sticky. I served my doughnuts with homemade caramel sauce. Enjoy!
sicilian doughnuts – light & fluffy!
Author: The Culinary Chase
Recipe type: Dessert
- 1 cup fresh ricotta
- 1 cup of milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 eggs, whisked lightly
- 2 cups flour, sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- vegetable oil (for frying)
- ¼ cup raisins or chopped dried fruit (optional)
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add milk and sugar. Stir until sugar has dissolved and remove from heat. Whisk in eggs and the ricotta. Then mix in flour and baking powder. Grab another pot and fill with vegetable oil deep enough to hold the batter and heat to 375f (use a candy thermometer for accuracy). Using a tablespoon and scoop out dough then drop into hot oil. Cook three minutes or until golden. Remove with slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towel. Roll in sugar to coat or drizzle honey over warm doughnuts.
- The Culinary Chase’s Note: My grandmother always used an electric frying pan/skillet as she found it kept an even temperature. Keep an eye on the oil as you don’t want it to get too hot or cool below 375f. If it does, the outside will cook but the inside will be a bit sticky. I served my doughnuts with homemade caramel sauce. Enjoy!
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Heather ChaseThe Culinary Chase was coined by my husband whilst in a coffee shop in Hong Kong back in 2006. We wanted something that would be a play on my last name and by the time we finished our coffee, the name was born. As long as I can remember I’ve enjoyed cooking. It wasn’t until we moved to Asia that I began to experiment using herbs and spices in my everyday cooking. Not only do they enhance the flavor of food but also heighten it nutritionally. Over the years, I began to change our diet to include more vegetables, pulses, whole grains and less red meat. Don’t get me wrong, we love our meat, just not in super-size portions (too hard for the body to digest). I always use the palm of my hand as a guide to portion control when eating red meat. If the meat is larger than my hand, I save that portion for another day. Also, if the veggies on your plate look colorful (think the colors of the rainbow) – red, green, yellow, orange etc. then you’re most likely getting the right amount of nutrients per meal. I post recipes that I think help maintain a healthy body. I use the 80/20 rule – 80% of the time I make a conscious effort to eat healthy and 20% for when I want french fries with gravy (poutine). Balance is the key and to enjoy life with whatever comes my way. Thanks for visiting!