St. Joseph's Fritters (Rome)

Desserts

Ingredients

Water - 1 cup

Butter - 7 tbsps

Salt- pinch

Sugar - 4 tsps

All purpose flour - 1 1/4 cups

Eggs - 4

Grated rind of 1 lemon

Oil for deep frying

Confectioners sugar

Put the water, butter, salt and sugar into a heavy pan. Bring to a boil and as soon as the butter has melted, take from the heat and add the flour, all at once, stirring quickly and thoroughly with a whisk or wooden spoon. Return the pan to the heat and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the paste comes away from the sides of the pan, making a light crackling sound. Cool the paste slightly and then add the eggs, one at a time, beating vigorously and making sure each egg is completely incorperated into the mix before another is added. Add the lemon rind and then knead the paste until bubbles begin to form over the surface. Leave to rest for 1 hour.

Heat plenty of oil in a tall pan until hot but not smoking. Drop the paste into the hot oil in heaped teaspoonfulls and fry the fritters until they puff up. Raise the heat slightly and fry the fritters to a golden brown. Take from the pan with a perforated spoon and drain on paper towels. Continue until the paste is finished, letting the oil cool a little each time before adding a fresh batch.

Heap the fritters on a plate and dust genrously with sugar.

Makes about 60 fritters.