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    Home » Recipes » Cookies and festivities desserts

    Italian Donuts Graffe - Zeppole Di Carnevale

    Published: Jan 20, 2023 · Modified: Mar 28, 2025. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Recipe Jump to Video
    Italian donuts pin
    Italian donuts pin
    Italian donuts pin

    These fried pillowy Italian donuts Graffe are one of the many traditional fried desserts we eat at Carnival, also called Zeppole di Carnevale. Their dough is made with potatoes, flour, milk, butter, eggs, a small amount of sugar, and yeast. They are flavored with lemon zest, deep-fried in oil, and served with a coat of granulater sugar. This type of Italian doughnut is crispy on the outside and soft inside, and in Naples, it is a special treat for Carnival.

    Italian donuts Graffe, Zeppole di Carnevale piled on a basket
    Jump to:
    • Zeppole di Carnevale vs Zeppole di San Giuseppe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Making the dough
    • How to serve them
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Top tip
    • FAQ
    • 📋Italian Donuts Graffe - Zeppole Di Carnevale

    Understanding the difference between deep-fried dough and fried donuts can be confusing. 

    There are many fried Italian treats in different parts of Italy.

    • Fried dough is a savory deep-fried pizza dough made with only flour, yeast, and water. Here are the most common recipes made with fried dough: Fried Pizza, Fried Calzone Panzerotto, Crispelle also called Zeppole di pasta cresciuta
    • Fried donuts are deep-fried sweets. In Italy, there are various versions and recipes of fried donuts completely different from each other depending on the region of Italy where they originated: 
      • Graffe, Zeppole di Carnevale (NOT Zeppole di San Giuseppe), from Naples
      • Bomboloni, from Tuscany
      • Castagnole, various regions from the center of Italy
      • Bignole, from Piemonte
      • Sfingi from Sicily
      • Fritole from Venice

    Most of them are Carnival treats when Italians indulge in fried and rich food before Lent starts: 40 days of dietary restrictions, prayers, and reflection to commemorate the time Jesus spent fasting in the desert.

    I will, with time, give you the recipes for all the Italian doughnuts, but I want to start with my favorites.

    Graffe are very different from the other Italian fried donuts as potatoes are also mixed into the dough.

    The mashed potatoes give these donuts a smoother, fluffier inside, while the outside remains crispy and firm.

    This zeppola recipe is from my Neapolitan friend: Eliana De Matteis, and you can follow her on Facebook.

    Other fried desserts you can find in Italy during Carnival are Italian fried bow-tie cookies, struffoli, cannoli with ricotta filling.

    Italian donuts Graffe, Zeppole di Carnevale covered with sugar

    Zeppole di Carnevale vs Zeppole di San Giuseppe

    Even if they have the same name, these Zeppole di Carnevale are not the same as Zeppole di San Giuseppe.

    While Zeppole di Carnevale are made with a yeast dough of potatoes and flour, Zeppole di San Giuseppe are made with choux puff pastry, the same pastry used for eclairs or beignets.

    While Zeppole di Carnevale are served just coated with sugar and are typical during Carnival in February, the Zeppole di San Giuseppe can be baked or fried and are served filled with custard cream.

    These last ones are typical for San Joseph Day when we celebrate all fathers in March.

    Zeppole di Carnevale

    Italian donuts Graffe, Zeppole di Carnevale

    Zeppole di San Giuseppe

    Zeppole di San Giuseppe

    Ingredients

    To make the dough for the Graffe you need the following ingredients:

    • Potatoes: here, we use five medium potatoes, which give us a weight of approximately 1 lb - 500 gr.
    • Flour: all-purpose flour is best for this recipe, but you can also use pastry flour
    • Milk: the amount of milk will depend on the consistency of the dough based on the potatoes and the flour. It will be added gradually until the right consistency is achieved.
    • Butter: we use butter for simplicity but traditionally, lard was used
    • Sugar: in the dough, there are only two tablespoons of sugar. The dough is not very sweet. It is the sugar used for coating the donuts that makes them sweet.
    • Fresh eggs: I have chickens for my eggs, so indeed, fresh
    • Lemon zest: make sure you use non-treated lemons. You can also use orange zest.
    • Yeast: I prefer to buy dried yeast as it last longer. You can use fresh yeast but ensure it is still active
    • Oil for deep frying: I use sunflower oil as it is lighter and has a higher smoke point than olive oil. You can also use other vegetable oil with high smoke points like canola oil or peanut oil.

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Hint: the amount of milk will depend on the size and type of potatoes. The amount on the recipe card is used only as a reference.

    Ingredients for Graffe

    Instructions

    To make these fried donuts, we proceed as follows: first, we prepare the dough and shape the donuts. Once shaped, they have to rest for 2 hours before frying them. Ensure you allocate enough time to make them.

    Prepare the potatoes

    Boil the potatoes
    1. Boil the potatoes until they are cooked. For medium potatoes, it would take about 20 minutes
    grind the potatoes with an electrical grinder
    1. Grind the potatoes while still warm

    Hint: here, I use an electric grinder that automatically separates the skin.

    grind the potatoes with a manual grinder
    1. If you use a manual grinder, you need to peel the potatoes before grinding them
    Potato mash on a bowl
    1. Let the potatoes cool down slightly

    Activate the yeast

    DO NOT use all the milk in this step.

    The total amount of milk to use depends on the consistency of the dough, and it can vary based on the type of potatoes you use.

    Only use half of the milk (half the quantity in the recipe card) to activate the yeast.

    mixing milk and butter
    1. In a small bowl slightly warm up half of the milk and melt the butter in it
    Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk
    1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and let it rest for a few minutes to activate.

    Hint: Ensure the milk is at a lukewarm temperature. If the temperature is too high, the yeast will not activate

    Prepare the dry ingredients

    Adding lemon zest to the flour
    1. In the meantime, prepare the dry ingredients by adding the lemon zest to the flour
    Adding sugar to flour and lemon zest
    1. and the sugar

    Making the dough

    Adding the dry ingredients to the potatoes
    1. In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients to the potato
    Making a well in the center
    1. Stir roughly with a fork and make a well in the center
    Adding the eggs in the well
    1. Add the eggs to the center
    Mixing the eggs
    1. Roughly combine them with a fork
    Adding milk, butter and yeast in the center
    1. Add the milk with the butter and the activated yeast mixture in the center
    Combine with a fork until most of the liquid is absorbed
    1. Roughly combine with a fork until most of the liquid is absorbed
    Use your hands to knead
    1. At this point, the dough is dry enough to use your hands
    Knead with your hands
    1. Knead the dough with your hands to feel the consistency
    Dough consistency
    1. The dough should be moderately stiff and not sticky. If it is too firm, add more milk
    Dough is ready
    1. The dough is now done

    Hint: if you have made other donuts dough before, you will feel this dough is much softer than dough without potatoes

    Shape the donuts

    Flour a large flat surface
    1. Place enough flour on a flat surface
    Cut the dough in half
    1. Cut the dough into half, then quarters
    Roll the dough into small strips
    1. Cut into small pieces and roll the dough into strips
    Shape them into rounds
    1. Shape them into rounds
    Shape them into ribbons
    1. or into ribbons
    Line them up on the well-floured surface
    1. Line them up on the well-floured surface
    Cover with a cloth
    1. Cover with a cloth
    Let them rest for 2 hours
    1. Let them rest for 2 hours to let the dough rise

    Frying the donuts

    You can use a deep fryer if you make a large quantity. Here for simplicity, I used a regular pan.

    Place the frying oil in a pan
    1. Place the frying oil in a pan and bring it to high heat, about 355 F - 180 C
    Place one donut in the oil
    1. Place one donut in the hot oil to make sure the oil temperature is high enough to fry
    The donut will float
    1. After a few seconds, the donut will float to the surface
    Turn the donut around
    1. With a slotted spoon, turn it around to cook it evenly on both sides until golden brown.
    Fry few donuts at the same time
    1. If the oil is warm enough, you can fry a few donuts at the same time
    Place them on a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil
    1. Place them on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil
    Coat them with sugar
    1. Coat them with powdered sugar while they are still warm
    Hand picking up a donut from the pile
    1. They are ready to serve

    How to serve them

    They can be served as they are or topped with jam.

    They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The potatoes give them an exceptional internal smoothness you do not find in other donuts.

    Graffe served with jam on top

    Equipment

    These tools will make this recipe easier to make, but they are not essential:

    • Electrical vegetable strainer and grinder: I use the KitchenAid electrical strainer that separates the skin when straining the potatoes. As an alternative, you can peel the potatoes while still warm and strain them with a manual grinder
    • Electric mixer with a dough hook attachment to make the dough, but you can easily make it by hand
    • A deep fryer is convenient if you are frying a large quantity of food; otherwise, you can use a regular pot.

    Storage

    These donuts do not store well; they are best if eaten the same day.

    The next day they are still good to eat, but they will not be as delicious.

    Graffe coated with sugar

    Top tip

    • The amount of milk used in this recipe will depend on the size and type of potatoes. The amount on the recipe card is used only as a reference.
    • I use an electric grinder in this recipe that automatically separates the skin. If you use a manual grinder, you must peel the potatoes by hand before grinding them.
    • Do not boil the potatoes already peeled as they will absorb too much water
    • Only use half of the milk (half the quantity in the recipe card) to activate the yeast.
    • Ensure the milk is at a lukewarm temperature. If the temperature is too high, the yeast will not activate
    • Knead the dough with your hands to feel the consistency in case you need to add more milk
    • If you have made other donuts dough before, you will feel this dough is much softer than dough without potatoes
    • When you start frying, place only one donut in the oil to make sure the oil is warm enough to fry. After, you can place more donuts at each time, depending on the size of the pan
    • Coat them with sugar while they are still warm
    Graffe coated with sugar on a basket

    FAQ

    What is the difference between zeppole and fried dough?

    Zeppole in the Neapolitan dialect means round, and it is used to describe various food, and not all Zeppole are fried dough. There are 3 main types of Zeppole: Zeppole di pasta cresciuta are savory fried dough made with a fluid yeast dough of flour and water. Zeppole di Carnevale are sweet fried dough made with flour, egg, milk, butter and mainly mashed potatoes, while Zeppole di San Giuseppe are sweet made with choux pastry, also called puff pastry, they are not fried but baked and filled with custard. Fried dough, instead, is a savory pizza dough served as an appetizer. It can be served as pizza fritta Montanara, Panzerotto or crispelle

    What does Zeppola mean in Italian?

    Zeppola is a wedge of wood or metal to bloc a door, but it is not related to the origin of the dessert's name. The name for the pastry is probably derived from the Latin serpula, which means snake and resembles the shape of the pastry.

    What is zeppole dough made of?

    Zeppole in the Neapolitan dialect means round, and it is used to describe various food, and not all Zeppole are fried dough. There are 3 main types of Zeppole: Zeppole di pasta cresciuta are savory fried dough made with a fluid yeast dough of flour and water. Zeppole di Carnevale are sweet fried dough made with flour, egg, milk, butter and mainly mashed potatoes, while Zeppole di San Giuseppe are sweet made with choux pastry, also called puff pastry, they are not fried but baked and filled with custard.

    If you are making any of these Italian Donuts Graffe - Zeppole Di Carnevale, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, or sign up to my newsletter.

    Italian donuts Graffe, Zeppole di Carnevale covered with sugar

    📋Italian Donuts Graffe - Zeppole Di Carnevale

    5 from 1 vote
    Laura Tobin
    Servings 10 people
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Resting time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 3 hours hrs 25 minutes mins
    Print Recipe Save Saved! Pin Recipe
    These fried Italian donuts Graffe are one of the many traditional fried desserts we eat at Carnival, also called Zeppole di Carnevale. Their dough is made with potatoes, flour, milk, butter, eggs, a small amount of sugar, and yeast. They are flavored with lemon zest, deep-fried in oil, and served with a coat of granulater sugar. Crispy on the outside and soft inside, Graffe are a special Carnival treat from Naples.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Manual Vegetable Grinder
    • KitchenAid Attachment Food Grinder Accessory optional
    • KitchenAid Mixer optional
    • Deep Fryer optional
    • Pincers for kitchen

    Ingredients
     

    • 5 medium potatoes should be about 1 lb - 500 gr
    • 4 cup flour
    • 3 fresh eggs
    • 3.5 tablespoon butter
    • 2 tablespoon caster sugar
    • ½ cup milk To activate the yeast
    • ½ cup milk Only if needed
    • 1 lemon zest
    • 2 tablespoon yeast 1 package
    • vegetable oil for frying
    • ½ cup caster sugar for coating

    Instructions
     

    Prepare the potatoes

    • Boil the potatoes until they are cooked. For medium potatoes, it would take about 20 minutes
      5 medium potatoes
    • Grind the potatoes while still warm
    • If you use a manual grinder, you need to peel the potatoes before grinding them
    • Let the potatoes cool down slightly

    Activate the yeast

    • Slightly warm up half of the milk and melt the butter in it
      3.5 tablespoon butter, ½ cup milk
    • Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and let it rest for a few minutes to activate.
      2 tablespoon yeast

    Prepare the dry ingredients

    • In the meantime, prepare the dry ingredients by adding the lemon zest to the flour
      4 cup flour, 1 lemon zest
    • and the sugar
      2 tablespoon caster sugar

    Making the dough

    • Add the dry ingredients to the potato
    • Stir roughly with a fork and make a well in the center
    • Add the eggs to the center
      3 fresh eggs
    • Roughly combine them with a fork
    • Add the milk with the butter and the activated yeast in the cent
    • Roughly combine with a fork until most of the liquid is absorbed
    • At this point, the dough is dry enough to use your hands
    • Knead the dough with your hands to feel the consistency
    • The dough should be moderately stiff and not sticky. If it is too firm, add more milk
      ½ cup milk
    • The dough is now done

    Shape the donuts

    • Place enough flour on a flat surface
    • Cut the dough into half, then quarters
    • Cut into small pieces and roll the dough into strips
    • Shape them into rounds
    • or into ribbons
    • Line them up on the well-floured surface
    • Cover with a cloth
    • Let them rest for 2 hours

    Frying the donuts

    • Place the frying oil in a pan and bring it to high heat, about 355 F - 180 C
      vegetable oil for frying
    • Place one donut in the oil to make sure the oil is warm enough to fry
    • After a few seconds, the donut will float to the surface
    • Turn it around to cook it evenly on both sides.
    • If the oil is warm enough, you can fry a few donuts at the same time
    • Place them on a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil

    Serve them

    • Coat them with sugar while they are still warm
      ½ cup caster sugar
    • They are ready to serve
    • They can be served as they are or topped with jam

    Video

    Notes

    • The amount of milk used in this recipe will depend on the size and type of potatoes. The amount on the recipe card is used only as a reference.
    • I use an electric grinder in this recipe that automatically separates the skin. If you use a manual grinder, you must peel the potatoes by hand before grinding them.
    • Do not boil the potatoes already peeled as they will absorb too much water
    • Only use half of the milk (half the quantity in the recipe card) to activate the yeast.
    • Ensure the milk is at a lukewarm temperature. If the temperature is too high, the yeast will not activate
    • Knead the dough with your hands to feel the consistency in case you need to add more milk
    • If you have made other donuts dough before, you will feel this dough is much softer than dough without potatoes
    • When you start frying, place only one donut in the oil to make sure the oil is warm enough to fry. After, you can place more donuts at each time, depending on the size of the pan
    • Coat them with sugar while they are still warm
    • They are best eaten the same day
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 383kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 10gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 67mgPotassium: 567mgFiber: 4gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 236IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!
    important notes on ingredients

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    Laura Giunta Tobin

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