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Easter treat (Bombolotti)

I'm in the process of scanning in old recipes, ones found carefully folded and sealed in plastic in a drawer of my grandfather's kitchen. Some recipes look illegible, some are illegible, being in Italian, one even is just a list of ingredients without a method.  However in amongst the pages are a few recipes that are recognisable, one of which stirs up memories of Easter.

In bygone years, Easter was a major family affair. Mum's extended family gathered for a long lunch while the kids played four square around the hills hoist. The main meal was okay; a vegetarian feast of falafels, fish, ful and a bevy of salads. We picked at it, primarily because we knew what dessert was. Bombolotti are a little hard to describe. They're possibly a little like hollow doughnut balls, but more like the Greek Loukoumades, deep fried hollow balls of pastry, drenched in syrup, icing sugar and cinnamon.

I've watched Uncle Tony make them at least once, before trying them myself to resounding success. It's a strange recipe, a very very yeasty batter that subsequently smells horrendous. To create the balls, you grab the gloopy batter by the fistful, squeezing to create a balloon between the thumb and forefinger that is then dropped into the boiling oil.

To eat, you enjoy them by the bowlful, drowned in a light sugar syrup with a sprinkle of icing sugar and cinnamon.

1 lb Plain Flour
1 oz Fresh Yeast
[Warm Water]
[Frying Oil]

[To Serve:]
[Sugar syrup]
[Icing sugar]

Mix well yeast [and sugar]  with a bit of warm water.
Then add water and flour. The consistency not too liquidy (custard)
Mix the lot very well until it bubbles
Cover Overnight
Next day, beat very well the mixture by hand until it bubbles again
Deep Fry [They will puff up like a balloon. Cook until golden brown then remove from the oil, let stand on a paper towel before placing in the serving bowl.]
[Serve with a light sugar syrup, icing sugar and cinnamon]. Labels: Family Tradition, Recipes

