So unlike the exquisitely wrought sweetmeats of other southern pasticcerie, pastry in Basilicata is often in the form of some rustic fried fritter, its batter honey-sweetened and studded with raisins or nuts. The most luscious version, though, is the one that asks for ricotta and dark rum. We found them being made in a small shop with an even smaller selling counter on a little street off the Via Pretoria, just before one reaches Piazza Mario Pagano in Potenza. On more than one iced winter’s morning have we stood outside its doors and waited for the sugar-dusted, crisp-crusted warmth of them.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 3 dozen fritters
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse the ricotta until it is smooth and creamy. Turn the ricotta out into a large bowl and add the lightly beaten yolks, the rum, and the sugar, beating the ingredients well. Sift together the flour and the baking powder and add it to the ricotta mixture. Beat the whites to stiff but not dry peaks and fold them, gently and thoroughly, into the ricotta mixture.
Step 2
In a large, heavy-bottomed pan over a medium flame, slowly heat at least 4 inches of peanut oil and, before the oil reaches the smoking point, form the fritters by dropping scant tablespoonfuls of the batter into the bubbling oil. Cook the fritters until golden, turning them and cooking the other side.
Step 3
Remove the fritters from the oil with a slotted spoon to drain a moment on absorbent paper towels before dusting them with confectioners’ sugar. Serve the fritters warm on a Sunday morning with a pot of hot chocolate with rum.
