Ricotta Castagnole Recipe

Steps

1. 1If the ricotta is very watery then place in a sieve over a bowl and leave to drain for about 15 minutes.
2. 2In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, corn starch, baking powder, salt and zest. Make a well in the middle add the egg and ricotta.
3. 3Mix together with a fork or spatula the ingredients almost come together. Move the mixture to a lightly floured flat surface and gently knead a few times to form a soft compact dough. The dough will be a little sticky but do not add extra flour, lightly dust hands with flour while kneading. Cover the dough with a tea towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
4. 4Remove small pieces of dough and form into balls the size of a chestnut.
5. 5In a medium high sided pot add about 3 inches of oil, heat the oil to 340F (175C), keep the temperature as close to this as possible.
6. 6Fry 3-4 castagnole at a time, turning to fry golden brown on both sides. Two minutes on each side should be enough time. Remove them with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate, leave for a few seconds then roll in granulated sugar. Place on a clean plate and serve immediately.
7. 7TO BAKE
8. 8Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C), line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
9. 9Place the castagnole on the cookie sheet and bake for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool and dust with icing sugar.