Crispeddi  Catania Style with Ricotta

Feast of Saint Agatha

Crispeddi are made stuffed with anchovies or ricotta. In Catania a salted version served as an appetizer or for a snack and in a sweet version with ricotta cream for dessert.

Crispeddi  when filled with ricotta, sugar, chocolate chips, candied diced fruit and spices, they are shaped round. The crispeddi  are oblong when stuffed with anchovies and spiced with dill, crushed fennels seeds or oregano

Ingredients

Serving Size8-10

For the Dough

•     2 lb flour

•     2 oz yeast

•     3 tbsp olive oil

•     ½ tsp sugar

•     Pinch of salt

For the Crispeddi with Ricotta Filling

•     1 lb ricotta

•     ¼ lb sugar

•     1 tablespoon chocolate chips

•     1 tablespoon candied diced fruits

•     2 drops of vanilla

•     Some zest of orange

•     Powdered sugar for garnish

For the Frying

•     A large sauté pan with 1 to 2 inches of canola oil

Instructions

THE DOUGH

1. In a bowl, mix ½ cup of warm water and the yeast. Add the sugar and ½ cup of flour, mix it well and blend to obtain a soft dough. Should it be too dry, add some water, if too watery, add flour.

2. Set aside, covered, in a warm place.

3. After 45 minutes to 1 hour, combine risen dough with remaining flour, add some lukewarm water, the oil and a pinch of salt and knead to obtain an elastic dough similar to the bread dough.

4. Make a ball, cut across to allow to rise, cover and store in a warm place until it doubles in size, 2 to 3 hours.

THE CRISPEDDI

1. When dough is ready, split it into 4 pieces. Take one piece at a time, knead it briefly and divide into chunks the size of a small egg or a scoop of ice cream. Give each piece a round shape if crispeddi with ricotta.

FOR THE CRISPEDDI WITH RICOTTA

2. Combine ricotta, sugar, chocolate chips, candied fruit, vanilla and zest of ½ orange. Should mixture result too watery, add some of your preferred sponge cake or biscuits crumbled to absorb some moisture.

3. Take a piece of the round crispedda, flatten it, fill with a teaspoon of ricotta cream, seal and shape like a bread roll.

4. Place filled crispeddi on top of a clean kitchen towel, lightly dusted with flour, cover and rest in a warm place for 1 hour.

FOR THE FRYING

1. For frying the crispeddi, use We suggest canola, peanut or olive oil. Use a deep fryer or a large sauté pan. If frying using a sauté pan, cover the bottom of it with 2 inches of oil and fry at medium heat. Heat oil to 350F or until hot enough, before it reaches the smoking point. Very carefully lower the crispeddi into the oil, a few at a time, turning them to fry on all sides, until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove from oil and dry on paper towels.

. Ricotta crispeddi are served dusted with powdered sugar.