I'm really not a big fan of frying, but for these I had to make the sacrifice, and I just so happen to have exactly 1 lb. of ricotta sitting in my frig. The key is make sure you're not alone, and have company over so you can share these while they are still warm. Timing is everything so make sure you have the coffee brewing!
Surprisingly, you don't use a lot of oil at all and because they cook up so fast, they don't have a heavy taste at all, in fact they're crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside.
I happen to love the flavor of chocolate and orange together, so that's what I used, but you can get creative with the kind of liqueur flavor you want. Most recipes call for brandy and lemon zest, but you could also use rum. I didn't measure my mini chocolate chips either, I just sprinkled some in the batter. I didn't want to over power the ricotta.The texture on the inside is a little like the inside of a souffle, one bite and you'll be smitten!
The recipe makes about 35 2" fritters.
I highly recommend you invite some friends over, you might not be able to stop at just a few!!
Here's the recipe!3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbl. sugar
1 lb. ricotta
1 cup flour
4 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 Tbl. Grand Marnier
Zest of 1 orange
Mini chocolate chips
Pinch of salt
Vegetable or Canola oil
Confectioners sugar
Combine eggs, sugar, ricotta, flour, baking powder, Grand Marnier, zest and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Pour oil into a wide but shallow saucepan, a couple inches deep, and heat over medium-high heat. Drop rounded teaspoons of batter into hot oil and fry, a few at a time, until golden, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels, dust with powdered sugar, and serve!
Pour oil into a wide but shallow saucepan, a couple inches deep, and heat over medium-high heat. Drop rounded teaspoons of batter into hot oil and fry, a few at a time, until golden, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels, dust with powdered sugar, and serve!
