Croatian Fritule: Small Fried Doughnuts (Fritule)
Fritule Say it: FREE-too-leh
Fritule show up on Croatian holiday tables, especially along the Adriatic, when a plate of warm, sugar-dusted fritters is passed around with coffee or a small glass of spirit. The batter is a soft yeasted mix with raisins, lemon and orange zest, and rakija or rum, so the fried puffs come out crisp at the edges and airy inside. The practical draw is that they are dropped by spoon, not shaped by hand, making them a doable project for a celebration treat. Eat them soon after frying, while the powdered sugar still clings and the centers are tender.
Croatian Fritule: Small Fried Doughnuts (Fritule)
Fritule
Pronounced FREE-too-leh
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Dough
For frying and finishing
Method
Stir the yeast and a pinch of the measured sugar into 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the warm water in a small bowl. Leave it in a warm spot until a foam cap forms, 5–10 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk the other 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water with the warm milk, remaining sugar, salt, egg, rakija, lemon zest, and orange zest. Add the yeast mixture and whisk to blend.
Add the flour in stages, stirring with a wooden spoon or stiff spatula, until no dry flour remains and the mixture is a thick, sticky, smooth batter. It will be too loose to shape by hand yet able to mound on a spoon. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave in a warm place until roughly doubled, about 1 hour.
Fold the raisins into the risen batter with a light hand so it loses as little air as possible.
Heat the neutral oil in a deep, heavy pot to 350°F (175°C). Set a small bowl of water nearby for wetting the spoon.
Wet a small spoon or two teaspoons, pick up a little batter, and let it slide into the hot oil. Work in small batches to keep the pieces from touching. Fry for 2–3 minutes, turning once with a slotted spoon, until golden and cooked through; adjust the heat to hold the oil at a steady temperature.
Lift the fritule out with a slotted spoon, let them drain on paper towels, and continue with the rest of the batter.
While they are still a little warm, coat the fritule generously with powdered sugar and arrange them on a serving plate.
Regional variant: Fritule s jabukama i smokvama (Apple and Fig Fritule)
Leave out the raisins. After the first rise, fold in 1 peeled and grated apple, 3 finely chopped dried figs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and a pinch each of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Fry the batter in the same way. Because the apple adds moisture, stir in another spoonful of flour if the batter turns too loose.
Cook's notes
- Keep the batter from sticking by dipping the spoon in water before every scoop.
- Test the oil with a dab of batter: it should sizzle and float up at once; fast browning means the heat is too high.
- For a deeper flavor, let the raisins sit in extra rakija or rum for 15 minutes, then drain them well before folding them in.
Serve with
Offer them warm in a high pile, alongside strong coffee, sweet Prošek wine, or a small glass of rakija.
Make ahead and storage
These are at their best freshly fried. Leftovers can be revived by heating them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 5 minutes.
