Yes, it’s fried. This is my families Italian American tradition birthed from a traditional Italian dessert called “pizza fritte”. A recipe for those late nights when you’re craving something sweet, but don’t want to take much time to create some tasty. This fluffy pastry is an indulgent treat that satisfies the craving for a hot sweet late night eat. All you need is a tube of biscuit dough, cinnamon sugar, and some oil to cook them in. A 10 minute dessert and as hot and fresh as they come!

I remember growing up at my uncle’s house with him and my mom in the kitchen making these late at night, and it filling the air with the beautiful aroma of cinnamon. If you are unfamiliar with the smell of cinnamon sugar coating something freshly fried, then you are missing out. A pile of them would be on island countertop before you knew it. These cook really quickly and make for such a nostalgic tasty treat.

The secret is in the pulling and stretching of the dough. That’s it! This recipe is one the Italians made with the scraps of their pizza dough. They’d roll it together, fry it and dust it with powdered sugar. Sound like a familiar New Orleans birthed dessert? Beignets!

Before you stretch your dough you have to preheat the oil. Now I know this is scary for those of you who’s never fried before, but let me tell you the easy way to do this. Use a tall narrow pot, large enough to fit two stretched dough pieces into for frying. You only need about 6 cups of vegetable oil for frying. Before you turn on the heat, grab a wire rack and place it over a sheet tray. You need a pair of tongs and some way to measure the oil, using a heat gun or a thermometer that can reach up to 400°F.

Preheat the oil to 350 and start frying!

Check the temperature of the oil as you’re frying, don’t let it get below 300°F or above 375°F. Cook two at a time and let them cook for a minute on one side, before flipping to the other. They should be golden brown and remove them. Remember to always point the tongs down when you’re grabbing something out of oil.

These are great! Got a dinner party coming up and looking for a showstopper? These frittelle’s are great for late night snack or after dinner treat. Ditch the s’mores and go for these!