Carnival Fritellle (with Cielo di Montemaggio)

Carnival is finally here. Then we thought it was going to be nice to speak about some typical desserts that we love to make here in Chianti!

Rice fritters are typical Tuscan sweets that are eaten both for Carnival and for St. Joseph's Day which fall on the 19th of March. This dessert is probably the most rappresentative as long as the Cenci.

The tradition of rice fritters is long established in Tuscany and actually we  it is probable that those kind of desert were common already in the fifteenth century.

This dessert it is absolutely phenomenal with Spumante (Our Cielo di Montemaggio sparkling wine could be perfect) 

lets learn how to make it.

Ingredients:
600 ml of milk
150 gr of original rice (8 tablespoons)
1 pinch of salt
1 strip of lemon peel
2 level teaspoons of yeast
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
4 tablespoons of flour (60 gr)
2 tablespoons sugar (40 gr)
1 egg
peanut oil
caster sugar to taste for decoration

Procedure:
"Heat the milk with the lemon peel and salt, as soon as it is hot pour the rice and simmer slowly until completely absorbed.
Let cool well, add the beaten egg, sugar, flour sifted with baking powder, cinnamon and mix well the ingredients. If it is too soft, add a tablespoon of flour. Do not put any more sugar, otherwise it will melt during cooking and absorb too much oil.
Heat peanut oil in the pan, I put in the largest flame but neither low nor high, something in between.
This is important because if they cook quickly, they will stay raw inside. On the other hand, if the flame is all the way down, they absorb oil. If you have a thermometer, the oil should reach 175°.
Use a spoon to scoop out a large piece of dough and drop it into the oil. Fry the fritters as you go along until they are dark golden brown.
In this way they will remain crunchy on the outside and soft with rice and milk on the inside. Drain on paper towels and roll in sugar."

Well now you can try making this dessert too.

A suggestion if during the carnival period you are in the area of Greve in Chianti, you must absolutely go to the ancient village of montefioralle and try the fritters they make in the main square.