Mangia! Florentine Frittelles

The Italians have a way of making anything sound sexy. Toilets to us are ‘tolettas’ to them. Holy crap to us is ‘schifezza santa’ to them. And doughnuts to us are ‘frittelles’ to them. Frittelles is a traditional Florentine pastry specially made for Carnival. They’re a perfect nourishment to keep your energy up and appetite curbed while you navigate the maddening crowds of party goers in the canal city of Venice. They taste quite yummy (or ‘squisito’) with a Bellini cocktail as well!

To feed a multitude, you will need:

1 3/4 cup rice (cheap rice is best here)
1 quart milk
The zest of one lemon
3-4 Tablespoons sugar
A walnut-sized chunk of sweet butter
3 eggs
1 jigger of rum or sweet wine (the recipe calls for rum, but try Vinsanto)
4/5 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Oil for frying
Confectioner's sugar
Simmer the rice in the milk until it's quite done, then stir in the sugar, lemon zest, and butter and let the mixture cool.

Separate the eggs and whip the whites to soft peaks. Stir the yolks and the rum or wine into the rice mixture, then fold in the egg whites, flour and baking powder. Drop the batter a teaspoon at a time into hot oil and fry the frittelle until they are a rich golden brown. Drain them on absorbent paper, and when they have cooled dust them with confectioner's sugar.