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Katy in Umbria

Umbria: a local's perspective for an authentic Italian escape

You are here: Home / Food / Recipes / Make Delicious Donuts for Father’s Day and celebrate like you’re in Italy

Make Delicious Donuts for Father’s Day and celebrate like you’re in Italy

03/26/19 | Recipes

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Struggling with ideas on how to celebrate Father’s Day this year?

What about adding a bit of Italy into the day by making homemade donuts?

I love Father’s Day in Italy, but not only for celebrating fathers. Here in central Italy deep fried rice pudding donuts are the traditional Father’s Day treat.

Father's Day
Print Recipe

Frittelle di Riso

Traditional Italian Rice Donuts for Father's Day
Prep Time45 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Father’s Day, Gluten Free, Italian Donuts
Servings: 6 People

Ingredients

  • 350 grams rice for risotto Arborio Rice
  • 750 liters Milk 2% is fine
  • 1 Zest of one lemon
  • 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
  • Water if the rice needs more liquid
  • 3 Eggs
  • 2 tbsp Rum
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 100 grams Flour Only if needed. Could be gluten free
  • 1/2 cup raisins Optional

Instructions

  • Cook the rice in the milk, lemon zest and salt.
  • Once it comes to a boil turn it down to low and let it cook for around 20 minutes.
  • Keep an eye on it and stir occasionally.
  • If the milk is absorbed but the rice isn't fully cooked, add some water. It needs to be thick, so just keep adding small amounts.
  • Once the rice is cooked remove from the heat and let it cool down.
  • To speed up the rice cooling down, put the mixture in a clean bowl.
  • Beat the eggs with the sugar, rum, baking powder and cinnamon.
  • When the rice is at room temperature add the egg mixture. Add raisins if you'd like them
  • If the rice won't hold together add some flour to thicken.
  • In a heavy bottom pan, heat up the oil (I used one 1 litre of peanut oil) until it reached 300F. I tried to keep the oil at around 310-20F.
  • Use 2 spoons to form quenelle for one donut. Each donut takes about 3-4 minutes to cook flipping it halfway through.
  • Don’t try to cook lots at once, I had no more than 4 at one time.
  • Be careful! I went for something with higher sides to help protect from splashes.

And they are the best.

Father’s day in Italy is a little different from the one in England or North America.

First, Father’s Day is celebrated at the beginning of spring, on March 19th; not a Sunday in June. This is because father’s day is on a Saint’s day; San Giuseppe.

San Giuseppe in English is Saint Joseph, famous for being Jesus’ father. Which makes sense.

And of course, Italians celebrate with a treat on his Saint’s day.

Here in Umbria, it’s a special donut made with rice. And one of my favorite Italian desserts that only gets made once a year.

Want to make Italian Donuts for Father’s Day?

These ‘donuts’ are called Frittelle di Riso, or fried rice.

They are made with thick rice pudding and then shaped with two spoons and deep frying them.

I’ve also heard of people baking them, which I might try next year; the smell of deep frying isn’t my fav, and it should be much faster.

If you’re in central Italy in mid-March look for them in pastry shops, grocery stores, or a pasticceria to indulge in these local treats.

But be quick and buy some frittelle di riso in the morning so as not to risk disappointment, they sell out fast.

If you aren’t in Italy then make them at home on the official father’s day of Italy or the one your family celebrates.

My husband’s Grandmother’s Recipe for Frittelle di Riso

Not in Italy for Father’s Day? Here’s my recipe. Make them for Father’s Day in March, June or any time of year.

Makes around 30 frittelle

Ingredients for Father’s Day rice donuts:

350 grams of uncooked rice

¾ of a liter of milk

The zest of a lemon

Salt to taste

Some water

3 eggs

2 tbsp of rum

3 tbsp of sugar

Baking powder

1 tbsp Cinnamon

Flour, around 100 grams

Instructions for Making Frittelle

Cook the rice in the milk with the salt and lemon zest.

It will take around 15-20 minutes once it has reached a boil.

The important thing is that the rice is cooked.

If the milk has been completely absorbed start add water, keeping in mind that a bit drier is easier to form so add as little as possible.

Frittelles San Giuseppe

Once cooked remove from the pan and let it cool down.

Beat the eggs with the sugar, rum, baking powder, and cinnamon.  

Once the rice mixture has cooled down add the egg mixture and stir in. If you would like to add raisins you could do this as well now.  

Making rice fritters

Depending on how liquid it is, add flour to thicken.

In a heavy bottom pan, heat up the oil (I used one 1 litre of peanut oil) until it reached 300F. I tried to keep the oil at around 310-20F.

Be careful! I went for something with higher sides to help protect from splashes.

Use 2 spoons to form quenelle for one donut. Each donut takes about 3-4 minutes to cook flipping it halfway through. Don’t try to cook lots at once, I had no more than 4 at one time.

Father's Day

They are best when eaten on the same day, so make sure you have people to share them with.

You don’t have to make them for Italy’s Father’s Day, San Giuseppe, it could be for Father’s Day in any country, or make them for a tasty treat when friends are coming to visit.

An easier cake to make from Perugia is the Ciaramicola. It’s red and white, the colours of Perugia, and eaten for Easter.

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