Sweet milk fritters is a traditional Genoese recipe. It is a thick fried custard of ancient origins, based on milk, sugar, lemon peel, flour (a very small amount!) and eggs.
It can be eaten as a dessert at the end of a meal or as a nutritious snack for our children. When I was a little girl it was the classic treat from my grandmother.
Sweet milk fritters are, however, also an essential component of the range of Genoese fried food, together with vegetables, brain, skewered meat and vegetable kebabs, mixed meats and apples.
The recipe is quite simple but requires:
1) a little elbow grease because you have to thicken the custard over the heat, mixing continually for at least a quarter of an hour;
2) a little time, at least 2 hours, to let it cool in the fridge.
The cubes must in fact be solid so that they do not break up in the boiling oil. Before frying they are breaded with egg white and breadcrumbs.
Once fried, they are put to drain on straw paper and sprinkled with sugar while still hot.
See also:
Ingredients
Tools
Steps
Heat the milk on the stove. Pour the flour into the saucepan in which we will cook the custard and pour in the hot milk, mixing quickly with the whisk, so as to remove all the lumps.
Put 1 whole egg and 2 yolks in a bowl. The other egg whites will be needed later for breading. Add the grated lemon peel. Whip with the sugar to obtain a smooth and frothy mixture.
Then trickle the beaten egg into the hot milk and flour mixture, stirring energetically.
Transfer to the stove, cooking over a low heat, stirring continually with a whisk to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the saucepan.
The sweet milk must cook for at least fifteen minutes. That way it will become quite solid and will lose the taste of raw flour.
Transfer the sweet milk to a baking dish lined with food film (it must be about 1.5/2 cm high), cover with cling film and allow to cool fully in the fridge, for at least 2 hours.
Take the mixture out, turn it out onto a chopping board and cut into rectangular pieces.
Beat the egg whites in a bowl and prepare the breadcrumbs. Heat a high-sided pan with plenty of seed oil.
Bread the sweet milk by dipping it once in the egg white and once in the breadcrumbs. Fry in the hot oil. It will require very little time.
Drain the fried milk on straw paper and sprinkle with caster sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is there also a savoury version?
Yes, but for now I have only written it in Italian.
Varied doses for servings