Italian Fried Dough Crispelle

These savoury Italian fried dough balls called Crispelle are a classic appetizer that we offer with aperitif especially at Christmas and New year. Inside the fried dough there are small pieces of anchovy making it crunchy on the outside and soft inside finishing with a salty bite of anchovy or sundried tomato, perfect to serve with a sweet Spritz or Mimosa.

Savoury vs Sweet Italian fried dough

Most people are familiar with the sweet Italian fried dough called Zeppole or Struffoli, This recipe is a savoury fried dough served with aperitifs especially during Christmas or New Year.

It is a typical recipe from the South of Italy, called Crispelle in Calabria and Sfinci in Sicily. The dough is simply made with flour, water and yeast. It is very similar to pizza dough, just this dough is more fluid.

They are served warm to complement cocktails and the most common filling is a piece of anchovy or sundried tomato. Like salty olives, these Crispelle are perfect to accompany aperitifs as the saltiness of the anchovies contrasts well with the sweetness of the drink. However, since some people are not keen on anchovies, they are often filled with alternatives like sun-dried tomato, ricotta or another cheese.

If you really want to make a sweet fried dough you can leave them plain or fill them with ricotta. Just dust some icing sugar on top when you serve them. Although, do not call them zeppole as they are not the same thing. Zeppole have a different dough and are usually filled with custard.

Making the dough for the Crispelle

Making the dough is very simple:

1. Dissolve the yeast in 1 cup of warm water and let it rest for 10 minutes until it forms a foam.
2. Mix with an electric mixer the flour, the yeast in the water and salt.
3. Continue to mix for at least 5 minutes whilst adding the rest of the water
4. The stirring should be very energetic and the dough should sound as if it is being slapped.
5. Once it is all combined and bubbling
6. ..cover with a cloth and let it rest for 1 hour

Shaping the Crispelle

1. Place the ricotta and the cleaned and deboned anchovies in two small ramekins next to the dough
2. Take a spoon full of dough and place a piece of anchovy in the middle.
3. With a second spoon twist the dough until the anchovy is trapped in the middle
4. Drop the dough into the frying oil

Frying them

5. Make several dough balls and drop them into the frying oil
6. Turn them to cook evenly
7. When golden, drain them and lay on a kitchen paper towel to absorb the excess oil
8. Do the same with the ricotta by putting a teaspoon of ricotta in the middle of the dough

Serving the Italian fried dough

The Crispelle should be served immediately while they are still warm. Place them into serving bowls and sprinkle with some chopped parsley.

Serve it with a cold aperitif like Spritz (Aperol, tonic water and prosecco) or mimosa (prosecco and orange juice).

If you want to eat something sweet you can sprinkle the Crispelle with ricotta with icing sugar.

Tips for making the best Crispelle

• Use anchovies stored in salt, I never buy the ones stored in oil as I don't know what oil is used. Plus the salty bite inside the dough is what makes these Crispelle the perfect match to a sweet aperitif.
• Mix the yeast with warm water and wait until some foam is formed before mixing it with the flour
• The dough should be mix energetically, you should hear the noise of the dough been slapped
• Once the dough is rested, it should have doubled in size
• The dough is very fluid therefore cannot be shaped with your hands. That is why you need to use 2 spoons.
• To better understand how to shape the dough, watch the video in the recipe below.
• As well as anchovies, you can fill them with sun-dried tomatoes, ricotta or other gooey cheese. Make sure the filling is completely wrapped inside the dough.
• Once you drop the crispelle into the frying oil, wait just 1 minute then turn them. If you wait too long a bubble of air will form on top and the Crispelle will turn back onto the previous side.
• Remove the Crispelle once golden and dry the excessive oil.

More fried appetizers

If you are looking for more fried appetizer ideas, here are some more recipes:

• Deep fried custard
• Fried mozzarella sticks and balls
• Deep Fried Eggplant Balls
• Fried Zucchini Flowers with Saffron Batter
• Fried Calamari Recipe
• Italian Zucchini Frittata With
• Rissole à la Dauphine

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