There are recipes that only appear once a year and yet feel instantly familiar the moment you start making them. Frittelle are exactly that. Light, warm, dusted with sugar, they’re the scent of Venetian Carnival drifting through the calli, festive, sweet, and impossible to resist.
The version we’re sharing is known in Venice as le parigine. They’re a more recent addition to the Carnival table, inspired by Parisian choux pastry: soft, airy, almost cloud‑like inside, and perfect for filling. They’re different from le veneziane, the older, more rustic fritters with a bready texture and no filling. Those deserve their own moment, and we’ll save them for next time.
What makes le parigine special is the contrast: the crisp, golden shell and the delicate, custardy interior. The raisins give little bursts of sweetness, and the dough itself is simple, it just needs a bit of olio di gomito (elbow grease) to bring the choux together. Both of our mums made these at home when we were growing up, sometimes filled, sometimes not, and we both remember how long they would mix that dough. A true labour of love… followed by the fritters disappearing in minutes once they hit the table. We would “help” with the mixing, but let’s just say our contribution was more enthusiasm than strength.
Once you’ve mastered the base, you can really have fun with the fillings: mascarpone cream, chocolate, jams… anything goes. But for us, there’s one filling that feels truly Venetian: zabaione. Venice has loved zabaione for centuries (long before these Paris‑inspired fritters arrived) and pairing the two feels like a perfect meeting of old and new. For this recipe, we use our classic zabaione but add a touch of flour to make it slightly thicker, just right for spooning into the warm fritters without it running away.
One thing to know about frittelle: they’re at their best in the moment. Even in Venetian pasticcerie, the filled ones never last beyond the day. The pastry softens, the filling settles, and the magic fades. So, make them close to the moment you plan to serve them, or right before the party starts. The unfilled ones keep a little longer, but they’re still treats meant for the day you choose to join the Carnival feast, whether you’re in Venice, the Veneto, or simply bringing a bit of that spirit into your own kitchen.
Serve them piled high, with the zabaione on the side or tucked inside. Eat them warm, ideally within minutes. Carnival only comes once a year, but these fritters make it feel like a celebration whenever you need one.
Carnival frittelle with zabaione
Makes about 20 frittelle
For the frittelle
- 250ml water
- 30g butter + 20g butter (soft, at room temperature)
- 150g plain flour
- 25g potato starch
- 3 large eggs, lightly whisked
- 50g caster sugar + extra for coating
- 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 100g sultanas, rinsed
- Pinch of salt
- sunflower oil, for frying (at least 1lt)
For the zabaione
- 3 fresh egg yolks (around 120g in total)
- 25g caster sugar
- 3 Tbsp Marsala wine
- 1 tsp corn starch
- a big handful of ice cubes
Directions
1. Make the zabaione
Set up
- Prepare a double boiler: a small saucepan with 5cm (2 inches) of simmering water, and a heatproof bowl that sits on top without touching the water.
- Prepare an ice bath: a large bowl filled with cold water and ice.
Cook the zabaione
- Mix the sugar and flour together.
- In the heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar–flour mixture, and Marsala until smooth.
- Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk continuously.
- After 2-4 minutes, the mixture will become thick, glossy, and airy.
- Lift the bowl off the heat and immediately set it into the ice bath, whisking gently until cool and beautifully creamy.
- Cover with cling film in contact and refrigerate until ready to fill the frittelle
2. Make the frittelle dough
- Pour the water and 30g butter into a saucepan and warm gently until the butter melts. Raise the heat and bring to a boil.
- While it heats, sift the flour and potato starch together three times — this keeps the dough light.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add all the flour at once. Stir firmly with a wooden spoon until it forms a compact dough ball.
- Transfer the dough to a plate and let it cool until warm (about body temperature).
- Return the dough to the pan or a mixing bowl. Add the 20g soft butter and mix until fully absorbed.
- Start adding the eggs a spoonful at a time, letting each addition fully incorporate before adding more.
- As you add the eggs, also mix in the sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, salt, and sultanas.
- The dough is ready when it slowly drops from the spoon, leaving a little triangular tail. If it feels too stiff after you’ve used up all the eggs, add 1–2 teaspoons of water.
- Cover and set aside while you heat the oil.
3. Fry the frittelle
- Fill a medium pan with sunflower oil — no more than halfway.
- Heat the oil to 165°C and keep it steady.
- Using two teaspoons, scoop and shape small mounds of dough and gently drop them into the oil.
- They will float, puff, and eventually turn themselves as they expand. Help them flip if needed.
- Once golden and no longer growing, lift them out and drain on kitchen paper.
- Toss immediately in caster sugar and leave to cool completely.
4. Fill and serve
To fill: Use a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle. Pierce each cooled frittella and gently pipe in the zabaione until it feels slightly heavier in your hand.
No piping bag? Serve the warm frittelle with the zabaione on the side — a perfect dipping cream and very Venetian.
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