Frittelle (sg.: frittella) are a type of Italian fried doughnut made from dough, typically with raisins, orange peels, or lemon peel in them. They are eaten in and around the Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto regions; however, they originated around the Giuliani areas of Trieste and Venice. Many variations are common, including custard and chocolate fillings.[1][2] They are fried in oil until golden brown and sprinkled with sugar.
Frittelle are included in the British Museum Cookbook by Michelle Berriedale-Johnson[3] and a book about Venice from 1879.[4]
They are known as frìtołe in Venetian and frittelle or frittole in Italian. They are served only during Carnival. Similar to bomboloni, they are round, yeast-risen fried pastries. Frìtołe are served in a number of different forms, including frìtołe veneziane, which are unfilled and have pine nuts and raisins stirred into the dough, and several filled varieties.[5] Fillings include pastry cream, zabaione, and occasionally less common fillings such as apple or chocolate custard cream.
In Croatia, they are called fritule (sg.: fritula) and are made particularly for Christmas. They are usually flavored with rum and citrus zest, containing raisins, and are topped with powdered sugar.[9] A variant of the dish, called miške, is prepared in Slovenia.