That’s right. Fried Dough. And don’t worry, I’m not going to sit here and pretend this is the healthiest thing, because we all know it’s not.
However, experts do remind us – and I totally believe it – that it’s ok to indulge in the not-so-good stuff if you eat healthy most of the time, right? So since we’re going to eat sweets sometimes, they might as well be really, really, really good when we do! This fried dough definitely fits into that category. It’s one of my childhood favorites that my Siciliain Aunty Connie used to make.
She’d just fry up leftover pizza dough and roll the pieces in sugar. Simple and a little naughty – but really good. By the way, some call this treat Sfingi or Zeppole, and depending on who you talk to, there are differences. But to make things simple, I won’t go into all of that, I’ll just stick to “fried dough” since that’s the common thread behind these types of desserts. I go in to a bit more detail regarding Sfingi in this post, if you’re interested.
You can use your favorite pizza dough recipe, but I’m including the one below I used for this version because the dough had a really nice taste. Warning: there is extra rising time for this recipe which is what makes the flavor extra yummy!
Of course you can buy pre-made dough – but I think the fun part is making the dough. If you’re going to make it, I’d definitely recommend using most of it for pizza and setting a little aside for the fried dough dessert. This recipe makes enough for 4 small pizzas. You can freeze the dough if you’re not going to use it right away.
Sicilian Fried Dough
Ingredients
- 5-6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons or 1 packet Active Dry Yeast
- *optional - 2 teaspoons vinegar
Instructions
- Add yeast to 1 3/4 cups luke warm water (make sure it's not hot); stir in sugar and olive oil and let sit for about five minutes until foamy.
- In bowl of stand mixer, combine all ingredients (start with 5 cups of flour). Using dough hook, mix on medium speed for about 4 minutes, or until flour gathers to form a coarse ball. Let dough rest for a few minutes; mix again for an additional few minutes, or until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and sticks just a little to the bottom. If dough appears too sticky, add more flour by the tablespoon. Note: I added about 3 additional tablespoons of flour.
- To test, gently stretch a small piece of dough until translucent in center. If not, process a little more.
- Transfer dough to a floured counter, dust the top with flour to absorb the surface moisture, then fold dough into ball. Place in a bowl that has been brushed with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap, and then cover the top of bowl with a towel.
- Let sit at room temperature for 90 minutes.Dough should double in size.
- Punch dough down, knead a couple times and form into ball.
- Return to bowl, cover and refrigerate for 2 - 12 hours.
- Remove from refrigerator 2 hours before using.
- Transfer dough to floured counter and divide dough into 4- 6 equal pieces; form into balls. Rub each ball with olive oil.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for another 2 hours before making pizza or fried dough.
- Note: I cheated and made a pizza with one of the dough balls without that last rise, and the taste and texture was very good.
- Place balls you will not use into ziplock plastic bags and either refrigerate (if you will use within 3 days) or freeze for up to 3 months.
- For frying, heat vegetable oil to 360 degrees in small cast iron (or heavy) sauce pan. I don't use a thermometer, I just heat on medium and test by dropping a piece of dough in the oil. Be careful!
- Drop small pieces of dough (about 4-5) in oil and fry for a couple minutes, turning for even browning, and until golden brown.
- Remove with slotted spoon and add to paper towels. Roll in sugar. Alternatively, let cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Enjoy!
fried dough?! yess!! i love it.
Haha! Thanks, me too. : )
I think I could eat an entire batch of these!
How sweet! I found a gazillion things on your blog that I want to make!
I make the bread at the restaurant, and I often save out a portion of dough to make ‘ pizza frit’ (fried dough) the guys in t h e kitchen And the wait staff love it.
it.
Excited to try these… my Mom — now departed was Sicilian and I enjoyed pizza fritta growing up… Do question one line in recipe: 1 TSP or 2.25 TSP active dry yeast? Commercial pkt. = 2.25 TSP.
Thank you! I revised the ingredient list to reflect the correction. 🙂
Hi,
First off I really love this website.
My grandmother , as well as my mom always use to make fried dough. This one looks great. I can not wait to make this. Im sicilian, and very proud of that.
I am disabled due to a swimming accident. I also recently became ill. but when I feel okay, the one thing that I love to do is bake and cook. I was looking to see if there was a mailing list to get onto,
But I haven’t seen one. Unless I missed it. Could you put me on your mailing list if you do have one? The way things are Ive been forgetting the sites that ive come across that I really love. Yours would be one of them.
I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks for having most of the recipes that I grew up on. have a very Happy and Healthy Holiday to you as well as all of your readers!!!!
Hi Annmarie, I’m so sorry to hear about your accident! I’m happy you still have activities you love to do – it really makes all the difference. I think you can click on the subscription icon on the top right-hand side of my blog’s homepage to get notified of new blog posts. I hope you subscribe! Please take care, and thank you for your kind words. xo
My family makes this also. We put confectioners sugar or honey on it. Great to be Sicilian!! Many great recipes!!
Hope you are doing well. Merry Christmas!
Hi! Merry Christmas to you too!!! 🎄
Thanks for the recipe. These look very much like the ones I had as a child on Christmas. We called it Spingie.
I have a correction, we called it Sfingi. Google corrected me 🙂 Thank you, love your website. So many memories.
Hi Robert – thank you! My mom told me all about the sfingi she used to eat growing up Boston at the festivals. By the way, I love your design website. So cool – I need that. 🙂
Jodi
Hi: my family’s New Orleans Sicilian
My mom made these every Friday during Lent together with pizza(more properly focaccia). We called them “frogs”
No idea where that name came from.
II am also Sicilian. We call this sfinghi . I make them and sprinkle them with confectioners sugar or honey that has been warmed. They are delish!! Sometimes, I fry big pieces of dough and put pizza sauce on them. My kids love it. Great being Sicilian — so many wonderful recipes!!
Yes! My mom used to call it Sfingi, and said she liked them stuffed with sweet ricotta cheese. Thanks for sharing!
Correction to earlier post. My mom made these many Fridays (not just during Lent) together with Sicilian pizza with anchovies. Again, we called them “frogs” for some obscure reason.
That’s funny! I guess the dough does kind of look like frogs when it expands/rises in the hot oil. 😊 Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you so much for all of these recipes. I am Sicilian from Brooklyn. My mother had a hand written loose leaf with all of these recipes, but after she passed away, my brother confiscated it and his wife kept it from him after their divorce. My aunt had similar recipes, but my mother had a flair for cooking that my aunt did not…sorry, but true. I inherited my mother’s flair for cooking and have been told often enough that I am better than she was at cooking and baking. They are long gone and I don’t have any way to get the family recipes until now. I have grand children of my own and I am handing down these traditions to my children and grand children.
I remember her making what you call Fried Dough (Zepoli), but she also used ricotta in the dough mixture. They came out light and airy like Sfingadel.
Also, with the Ricotta Cheese Cake, I remember her making a sweet crust like the type that is used in torts.(my grandmother used the sweet crust to make Fig Cookies at Christmas. Grandma was quite talented and would carve the cookie dough into the shapes of a doll and doll carriage for the girls and carve out the image of a truck and train engine and caboose for the boys.) She used candied fruit on the bottom and something called citrine instead of orange zest. (never cared for the candied fruit or citrine) I do like the idea of using orange zest and may try lemon zest also.
Do you have a recipe to make cannoli shells and lemoncello?
I have a business and I am The (Original) Cheese Cake Lady. Aside from making Cheese Cakes, I also offer Savory Cheese Gallates (pies) and I am introducing authentic Italian food to people who think that Olive Garden is the best Italian food they ever ate. Something is lost when a Southerner tries to make gravy (sauce) and uses jarred sauce as a base. Somehow they think that “Baked Spaghetti” replaces lasagna.
Thank you once again for replacing the recipes that I thought were lost to me forever.
Thank you once again for your recipes.
I noticed on the ingredients list you have “*optional – 2 teaspoons vinegar”, but I see no reference to it in the recipe. Where would the vinegar optionally come into it?
Hi there! I will add to the directions.i suggest adding the vinegar to the water and the yeast mixture before adding the flour.