Ciambelle

Ciambelle are Italian sugared donuts that are made with potato. I’m sure many of you have never heard of donuts with potatoes in them, but seriously, this is your chance to try our favorite donut. These things are amazing and there’s no stopping at just one.

Ciambelle, are typical Italian desserts prepared in the occasion of Carnevale. Carnevale, also known as carnival or mardi gras, is celebrated in Italy and many places around the world 40 days before Easter, a final party before Ash Wednesday and the restrictions of Lent.

In Italy, the festival is celebrated with parades, masquerade balls, entertainment, music, and parties. Children throw confetti at each other. Mischief and pranks are also common during Carnevale, hence the saying A Carnevale Ogni Scherzo Vale, anything goes at carnival.

Masks, maschere, are an important part of the carnevale festival and Venice is the best city for traditional carnival masks.

These Ciambelle and other fried donuts are made and sold during this period.

We’ve only been to Italy once during Carnevale when we were in the 2nd grade. For us, these ciambelle bring back memories of the beach and not Carnevale. Every summer in Italy we remember going to the beach and buying these ciambelle. They were sold on the beaches and they were what we always looked forward too. The potato in these donuts give them such a wonderful texture and helps keep them moist and fluffy.

Here’s the recipe:

Makes 3 dozen’

Ingredients

1 kilo flour
200 gr whole milk, warm
200 gr butter, softened
6 eggs
400 gr potatoes, cooked and mashed
140 gr sugar
30 gr fresh yeast
16 gr salt
The zest of one lemon

Super fine sugar

Directions

Mix the warm milk with the yeast until the yeast is melted. Pour in a stand mixer and add 180 grams of flour. Let it rest and activate for 40 minutes.

In the mean time, clean and peel the potatoes, cutting them in small pieces. Boil them for about 20 minutes, when they are ready let them cool and then mash them.

Add the eggs, salt, sugar and 600 grams of flour and mix. Add the potatoes and 100 grams of flour. Now, add the butter and mix until incorporated. Add the rest of the flour and mix. The dough should not be sticky. Transfer it to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

Let rise for 2 hours until the dough doubles in volume.

This is what the dough should look like after the two hours.

When the dough is ready, place it onto a floured surface. Keep the dough covered with the plastic wrap while working. Take about 60 grams of dough at a time and form them into balls. Then, with your index finger covered in flour, apply pressure in the middle of the ball and whirl it around to form a ring.

Here is what they should look like.

Place the donuts onto floured cookie sheets and cover them with kitchen towels. Let rise for 2 hours.

Once the donuts have risen, heat the oil to 330 degrees.

Fry the donuts 1-2 minutes on each side. When done, transfer them to a tray lined with paper towel and let drain for 1 minutesand then roll them in the sugar!

Look how fluffly they are!

Let’s get a little closer so you can really see!

If you have any questions with the amounts of ingredients, and don’t have a scale to measure the grams, just ask and we’d be glad to help!