Make Ahead

Lemon Ricotta Fritters

March 17, 2011
4.5
4 Ratings
  • Makes about 18
Author Notes

While “fritter” is a generic term that refers to fried batter or dough, there is nothing generic about these tangy and succulent nibbles. These make a very beautiful treat, but they are so delicate and scrumptious that they will likely disappear before anyone notices how pretty they are!! - Romeocucina —WeLike2Cook

Test Kitchen Notes

These little bundles of fried dough are not your stereotypical policeman’s donut. They are crisp on the outside, airy like a pate choux popover on the inside, delicately flavored and certainly don’t land with a thump in your belly. To increase the sugar and lemon quotients high enough to appease my crowd of sweet-toothed tasters, I swapped out the dusting of confectioner's sugar for a rolling of the fritters in granulated sugar that had been pulsed in the food processor with the zest of a second lemon. - cheese 1227 —cheese1227

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 pound whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh-sqeezed lemon juice
  • Zest of one lemon
  • Vegetable Oil for frying
  • Confectioner's sugar for dusting
Directions
  1. Whisk ricotta and eggs together until well mixed and slowly incorporate flour and sugar then fold in butter, lemon juice and zest and salt. Cover the batter and let it sit for up to an hour before frying.
  2. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie sheet in paper towels. Pour enough oil into a large saucepan to come halfway up the sides of the pan and heat over high heat until oil reaches 365 degrees Fahrenheit.
  3. Using a tablespoon, gently drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil. Don’t put too many in at a time because they will stick together if crowded. Cook the fritters for about 3 minutes each, turning once to ensure that they are nicely browned on all sides. Using a wire skimmer or slotted spoon, remove fritters from the oil and place on the paper towels and place in the preheated oven to stay warm while you make the remaining fritters.
  4. When all the fritters are done, plate the fritters and dust with plenty of confectioner’s sugar. I use a small sieve to sift the sugar over the plate. We have plenty of lemon balm growing in the garden, so I add some to the plate as a garnish to enhance the lemony fragrance and add a springtime touch.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • boulangere
    boulangere
  • cheese1227
    cheese1227
  • Ninicooks
    Ninicooks
  • Laura Taylor
    Laura Taylor

4 Reviews

Ninicooks March 21, 2011
Reminds me of Nona's table! Can't wait to try them.
 
boulangere March 17, 2011
Oh my!!!
 
cheese1227 March 17, 2011
I am in love with these. And my husband -- who considers fried dough a food group -- will not likely be all that jealous if he gets to eat a few.
 
Laura T. March 17, 2011
I saw this come up on my screen and started to drool. I can't wait to try these!