Name: Pettole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 170 min
Yield: 48 fritters (Approximate count; about 6 per serving.)
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 500 g Wheat flour, type 0; 550 ml Water (Dough: 400 ml, lukewarm, not hot. Working reserve: 150 ml for wetting the spoon; do not add to the dough.); 120 g Boiled potato (peeled, cooled and mashed; cooked weight); 12 g Fresh baker’s yeast; 5 g Caster sugar; 10 g Fine salt; 800 ml Peanut oil (frying bath, not all absorbed)

Keep the dough loose and fry small batches so each pettola cooks through.

Make ahead Have the weighed cooked potato cool before mixing, then allow the dough to become visibly airy.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 30 min
Rest: 2 hr
Yield: 48 fritters (Approximate count; about 6 per serving.)
Difficulty: Medium

Pettole

Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min · Rest 2 hr · Yield 48 fritters (Approximate count; about 6 per serving.) · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

48 fritters (Approximate count; about 6 per serving.)

Dough

500 g4 cups
Wheat flour, type 0
550 ml2⅓ cups
WaterDough: 400 ml, lukewarm, not hot. Working reserve: 150 ml for wetting the spoon; do not add to the dough.Dough: 1⅔ cups, lukewarm, not hot. Working reserve: ⅔ cup for wetting the spoon; do not add to the dough.
120 g4 oz
Boiled potatopeeled, cooled and mashed; cooked weightpeeled, cooled and mashed; cooked weight
12 g1¼ tbsp
Fresh baker’s yeast
5 g1¼ tsp
Caster sugar
10 g1⅔ tsp
Fine salt

Frying

800 ml3⅓ cups
Peanut oilfrying bath, not all absorbedfrying bath, not all absorbed

Equipment

Large mixing bowl and sturdy spoon
Deep heavy 18 cm pot, thermometer and slotted spoon

Method

Put the flour in a large bowl with the cooled mashed potato. Crumble in the yeast and add the sugar. Pour in 300 ml of the dough water gradually, mixing vigorously. Dissolve the salt in the remaining 100 ml and work it in.Put the flour in a large bowl with the cooled mashed potato. Crumble in the yeast and add the sugar. Pour in 1¼ cups of the dough water gradually, mixing vigorously. Dissolve the salt in the remaining ½ cup and work it in.
Beat and lift the very soft sticky mixture with a sturdy spoon or by hand for about 10 minutes, until it becomes elastic and shows small bubbles. Cover and leave in a comfortably warm place for about 2 hours, until well risen, airy and roughly doubled.Beat and lift the very soft sticky mixture with a sturdy spoon or by hand for about 10 minutes, until it becomes elastic and shows small bubbles. Cover and leave in a comfortably warm place for about 2 hours, until well risen, airy and roughly doubled.
Heat the peanut oil to about 175°C in a deep heavy pot about 18 cm wide, with the oil no higher than halfway up. Set the spoon-wetting water away from the hot oil. Lightly moisten a spoon and shake off excess water before lifting each small spoonful of dough.Heat the peanut oil to about 350°F in a deep heavy pot about 7 in wide, with the oil no higher than halfway up. Set the spoon-wetting water away from the hot oil. Lightly moisten a spoon and shake off excess water before lifting each small spoonful of dough.
Lower small portions close to the oil surface without splashing. Fry a few at a time, turning, for about 3 minutes until golden and cooked through, with a light interior rather than sticky raw dough. Expect about 48 irregular fritters and several small batches. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot, plain and savory.Lower small portions close to the oil surface without splashing. Fry a few at a time, turning, for about 3 minutes until golden and cooked through, with a light interior rather than sticky raw dough. Expect about 48 irregular fritters and several small batches. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot, plain and savory.