Do you know the Catania rice crispelle ? Recipe notoriously linked to Father's Day - their story is in fact intertwined with San Giuseppe - which can also be made without yeast and with the Thermomix , they constitute one of the most appreciated typical Sicilian sweets together with the sfince di San Giuseppe . They look like sticks of sweet rice fried until golden brown and dipped in honey : pure pleasure, in short. Let's find out its origin and recipe, in order to be able to make delicious Sicilian crispelle even at home.
The history of Catania's rice crispelle
Crispelle di riso are prepared on the occasion of St. Joseph's Day as it is commonly believed that, in addition to being a carpenter, Maria's husband had a second job, that of a fryer.
But the actual birth of the Catania crispelle , also called rice zeppole , dates back to the 16th century through the work of the Benedictine nuns of the Catania monastery. This news is reported in ancient texts written by chroniclers of the city of Catania.
The recipe for Catanian rice crispelle with honey
Rice crispelle in Catania are a must, but if you live far from the city or outside Sicily, the only way to enjoy them is to make them at home. They do not require particular ingredients but a few tricks and time for leavening . Here's how to proceed to delight yourself with one of the typical Father's Day desserts known and appreciated throughout Italy.
Ingredients for the crispelle
- 600ml of milk
- 250 g of rice
- 250 g of 00flour
- 75 g of granulated sugar
- Grated orange and lemon zest
- Cinnamon to taste
- 1/2 sachet of dry brewer's yeast
- 1 teaspoon of salt
Ingredients for frying and decoration
- Seed oil to taste
- Honey to taste
- Powdered sugar
- Ground cinnamon
Preparation of Sicilian rice crispelle
- Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the rice, a piece of orange peel, salt and cinnamon.
- Cook everything for at least 20 minutes, until the milk has been absorbed. Stir constantly so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the saucepan.
- Once creamy, turn off the flame and pour the rice into a bowl, combining grated orange and lemon zest, cinnamon, sugar and dry brewer's yeast dissolved in a couple of tablespoons of milk.
- Lastly, add the sifted flour and mix well. Let rise covered for two hours.
- Now spread the mixture on a pastry board and level it well.
- Pour plenty of oil into a pan and let it heat up.
- Take small portions of dough to create crepes (elongated shape) and fry them until golden brown. Drain them on absorbent paper.
- Heat some honey in a pan and dip the crispelle in it to cover them well.
- Dust with icing sugar and cinnamon and enjoy.
Crispelle of rice from Catania with the Thermomix
Making Sicilian rice crispelle with the Thermomix is even easier: pour sugar and orange zest into the mug and set for 30 sec. speed Turbo. Set aside while you cook rice, milk and salt in the jug for 15 min. 100th speed 1 and, after the first 10 minutes, also sugar and orange zest. Pour the mixture into a bowl and let it cool, then add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Continue as above.
Crispelle from Catania without yeast
If you prefer, you can also prepare yeast-free rice crispelle . The recipe does not change, the only variation is the reduction of the resting time of the rice which, from two hours, becomes about twenty minutes. Other variations to try? The chocolate rice crispelle and the lighter baked ones.
Photos | Recipetaster , CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
