photos by Fotosearch.com

IS IT SPRING YET?

Okay, so it was in the 40s today, but have you seen the huge mounds of snow in my front yard? Maybe by the 4th of July I'll be able to see the street! Pulling out of my driveway is dangerous! I can't see either direction as I pull out. Come on Springtime! Lets see some daffodils, some tulips! I'd be thrilled to see a blade of grass!

I suppose I need to stick with heavier wintertime recipes, but I long to dive in to spring's lighter fare. And with spring I can start driving to Annie Cassidy's chicken Farm for her beautiful fresh eggs. I have missed them terribly!

I am also anxious to prepare Carnivale food. In Italy, the street vendors take advantage of the huge crowds in the streets, selling one of my favorite street foods,
Frittelle (Fritters) but there is absolutely no reason to wait for Carnevale. Carnevale, also known as Carnival and Mardi Gras around the world, street foods are very important. I am not a fan of funnel cakes, but from their popularity at festivals and fairs here in the United States, I must be in the minority! But if you take the Italian Frittelle and taste test it with a Funnel Cake...I think

you will be saying "Delizioso!"

I figure we should make the Frittelle to make sure we have the recipe and procedure perfected by Carnevale. So, I will give you several recipes, each one a little more elaborate.

Hope you have fun choosing your favorite!

Frittelle

1 3/4 cup rice (cheap rice is best here)
1 quart milk
The zest of one lemon
3 Tablespoons sugar (3 to 4)
A walnut-sized chunk of sweet butter
3 eggs
1 jigger Somerset Ridge Ambrosia Dessert Wine

1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Oil for frying
Confectioner's sugar

Simmer the rice in the milk until it's quite done, then stir in the sugar, lemon zest, and butter and let the mixture cool.
Separate the eggs and whip the whites to soft peaks. Stir the yolks and the rum or wine into the rice mixture, then fold in the egg whites, flour and baking powder. Drop the batter a teaspoon at a time into hot oil and fry the frittelle until they are a rich golden brown. Drain them on absorbent paper, and when they have cooled dust them with confectioner's sugar.

Frittelle con Uvetta, Fritters with raisins

3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup less 1 tablespoon raisins
3 tablespoons sweet butter
3 eggs
The zest of a lemon
Sugar
Oil for frying
Salt
Bring a half cup of water to boil with the butter and a pinch of salt. Add the flour in one fell swoop and cook the mixture, stirring constantly, for five minutes. Let it cool, then work in the raisins, eggs, and lemon zest. Fry the batter a tablespoon at a time in hot oil. Drain the frittelle on absorbent paper, dust them with sugar, and serve.

Frittelle di Seomolino, Semolina fritters

1 quart milk
1 3/4 cups + 1 tablespoon semolina
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
The grated zest of an orange
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1 flavorful apple, peeled, cored and diced
5 yolks
Flour
Sugar for dusting
Salt
Oil for frying

Bring the milk to a boil with the orange zest and the vanilla. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar and the semolina, and cook for 10 minutes over a moderate flame, stirring constantly. Stir in the raisins, almonds and apple, then remove the mixture from the fire and stir in the yolks. Let the batter cool (it will be fairly stiff), form it into 1 1/2 inch by half-inch sausages, roll them in flour, and fry them. Dust them with granulated sugar when they are cool and serve.

so now that I've talked about Italian Street Food, I suppose I should give Germany, France, Mexico, etc. an equal amount of space.....next time.