If you have never tried fried pizza dough, you are missing out.
This is a special Italian treat we make often here in our home.
Mom would start our Sunday breakfast off with this delicious fried dough before our big traditional Sunday Sauce meal.
We always looked forward to Sunday morning with that fresh smell of fried dough.
This is a specialty at every American Italian church feast in Central Utica, New York.
Utica, New York is noted for the best homemade fried dough at all the church events during the summer months and so many other fine Italian specialties.
Here are some other must-tries from my hometown: Italian Greens, Italian Lemon Ice, Tomato pie, Chicken Riggies, Manny's Cheesecake, Oscugnizzo Pizza, and Pusties Rosato Chocolate Cookies.
It's usually fried right in front of you and served with either sugar or powdered sugar in paper bags.
This recipe is the true experience of delicious sugar-coated sweet treat that is fried to perfection in any Italian household growing up.
Scroll down for the complete recipe, it's easy, delicious and makes a wonderful memory etched in our family mind forever.
International Styles
Fried dough, Pizza Fritta, Pizza Fritte, Fried Doughnuts, Zeppole, Funnel Cakes, Beignets, Johnny Cakes are just a few names of fried dough.
There are so many versions on how to serve pizza fritta with toppings and many different shapes and sizes.
Italian fried dough is pizza dough, deep-fried, and usually sprinkled with either powdered sugar, granulated sugar, and some cinnamon sugared however some slather butter, peanut butter, jams and Nutella on top also.
Carnivals, feasts, outdoor picnics, and backyard events, sell these by the dozens on paper plates or in brown paper bags.
The smell of these frying makes your mouth water instantly whether home or festivals.
The Best Fried Italian Dessert
This is another treat better known as Zeppole that we just called fried dough.
Mom and grandma would make fresh pizza dough homemade, fry it and sprinkle with sugar, still hot we always burned the roof of our mouth and enjoyed every bite back in the 1960s and still to date!
Fried dough is made anytime for an after-dinner or even breakfast dessert. Sometimes even stuffed with mozzarella, ricotta or anchovies on Christmas Eve then fried. Enjoy!
This can be made in a deep fryer, skillet, or even a side burner outside on the grill, it sure is easy and tasty!
Fried dough is popular throughout the world in so many shapes and forms.
The Italian version is simply pizza dough is sprinkled with sugar.
The other parts of the world can be very different in how they prepare it.
Even fried biscuit refrigerator dough is found on the Chinese American buffets!
Southern Italy
In the southern Italian region of Calabria, there's a saying which goes: A Immaculata a prima padejata ('the first fry-up on Immaculate Conception Day').
It's an expression that vividly illustrates the locals' anticipation to make zeppole (or zippule as they are known in the Calabrian dialect), dough fritters typical of the region at Christmas time.
Just to clarify, zeppola is a term used all over southern Italy to describe many different types of dough fritters.
Le zeppole di San Giuseppe, the deep-fried nest-shaped choux filled with pastry cream made on Saint Joseph's Day (March 19), is probably the most famous example.
Calabrian Zeppole
Then, on the other hand, are yeasted and more often than not, savory.
As with many Italian regional specialties, recipes for these addictive fritters vary enormously.
Zeppole are typical of Italian cuisine, especially that of Rome and Naples.
They are also served in Sicily, Sardinia, on the island of Malta, and in Italian-Canadian and Italian-American communities in Canada and the United States.
Zeppole are known by other names, including Bignè di San Giuseppe (in Rome), St. Joseph's Day cake, and sfinge.
Zeppole are traditionally consumed during the Festa di San Giuseppe (Saint Joseph's Day) celebrated every March 19, when zeppole are sold on many streets and sometimes presented as gifts.
In Istria, Croatia this pastry is called blenzi in the Croatian speaking places and zeppole in the Italian-speaking places.
They are always topped with sugar either powdered and a fried dough ball.
The version I knew growing up in Utica New York at the feast is a dough fried with powdered sugar or granulated sugar on top.
How To Shape The Dough
(by different Regions)
- rolled into a ball
- made in flat circles
- stretched flat then in rectangular shapes
- donut style dough with a hole in the middle
- made into ropes then cut
- stuffed dough with other ingredients
Topping Coating Options
- powdered sugar
- granulated sugar
- cinnamon sugar
- plain spread with butter or jam
- plain spread with peanut butter
- Nutella spread on top
Try Some Of My Other Italian Favorites:
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Lots of Confusion on Zeppole
Much like other traditional dishes in Italy (many of the pastries), Authentic Italian zeppole have different variations all over the Italian peninsula.
They can come in all shapes, sizes, and have all sorts of fillings and toppings.
Yes, it can be one of the most confusing pastries in the whole of Italy.
The two most popular varieties are the ones made with pizza dough and the other one made of puff pastry dough, which is commonly called choux.
However, kinds of authentic Italian zeppole can also depend on the holiday, feast, or celebration they are made for… or the region in which they are prepared.
Yield: 22
Italian Pizza Fritta Fried Dough
prep time: 15 Mcook time: 25 Mtotal time: 40 M
This is a popular Italian dessert called Pizza Fritta or Zeppole. Actually, throughout every Region in Italian, it may have a different name. Simply, it's a pizza dough fried and then coated in sugar.
ingredients:
- 4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour or bread flour
- 1 package dry yeast dissolved in 2 cups lukewarm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
instructions:
How to cook Italian Pizza Fritta Fried Dough
- Mix until dough forms a smooth dough and if still sticky add a little more flour by a tablespoon at a time.
- Place in a bowl, cover with a towel that has been dampened, and wait until double in size as it rises.
- Stretch out around two tablespoons of dough into a circle poking a hole in the center like a doughnut or shape into small round balls.
- . Place on a cookie sheet, lined with floured parchment paper.
- In the meantime, heat the oil in a frypan, on medium-low heat.
- Place a little piece of dough, (the size of a dime) in the oil to see if it sizzles and it hot enough.
- Place the stretched out the dough or dough balls, into the oil and fry on both sides until golden brown.
- Take out of oil when done, place on paper towels to drain oil.
- Sprinkle with regular white sugar, powdered sugar, or flavored sugar such as cinnamon and sugar.
Calories
179
179
Fat (grams)
22
22
Sat. Fat (grams)
6
6
Carbs (grams)
22
22
Net carbs
17
17
Sugar (grams)
6
6
Italian Pizza Fritte, Fritta ( Fried Dough) Pin for later
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