Name: Zippulas
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 205 min
Yield: 20 fritters
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 250 g Plain wheat flour tipo 00; 125 g Remilled durum wheat semolina; 250 g Floury potatoes (weighed after boiling and peeling); 75 g Well-drained ricotta; 250 ml Whole milk (125 ml for yeast, 125 ml for saffron); 1 piece Egg (about 50 g without shell); 12.5 g Fresh baker’s yeast; 2 g Baking powder; 0.06 g Saffron powder; 40 ml Orange juice (freshly squeezed); 3 g Orange zest (finely grated coloured layer only); 1 g Lemon zest (finely grated coloured layer only); 25 ml Grape acquavite; 3 g Fine salt; 102.5 g Caster sugar (Dough: 2.5 g for the yeast mixture. Coating: 100 g working quantity; some will remain.); 1,500 ml Peanut oil (frying bath, mostly left in the pot); 2,100 ml Water (Boiling: 2000 ml for the potatoes, discarded; not dough hydration. Shaping: 100 ml for dampening hands; not dough hydration.)

The dough is very soft. Damp hands help shape the rings without adding flour or tightening the dough.

Make ahead Drain the ricotta before mixing. Let the potato mash cool to lukewarm before it meets the yeast; fry after the dough has risen.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 1 hr 10 min
Rest: 1 hr 30 min
Yield: 20 fritters
Difficulty: Medium

Zippulas

Prep 45 min · Cook 1 hr 10 min · Rest 1 hr 30 min · Yield 20 fritters · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

20 fritters

Dough

250 g2 cups
Plain wheat flour tipo 00
125 g¾ cup
Remilled durum wheat semolina
250 g2 cups
Floury potatoesweighed after boiling and peelingweighed after boiling and peeling
75 g2¾ oz
Well-drained ricotta
250 ml1 cup
Whole milk125 ml for yeast, 125 ml for saffron½ cup for yeast, ½ cup for saffron
1 piece1 piece
Eggabout 50 g without shellabout 1¾ oz without shell
12.5 g1¼ tbsp
Fresh baker’s yeast
2 g½ tsp
Baking powder
0.06 g0.06 g
Saffron powder
40 ml2¾ tbsp
Orange juicefreshly squeezedfreshly squeezed
3 g3 g
Orange zestfinely grated coloured layer onlyfinely grated coloured layer only
1 g1 g
Lemon zestfinely grated coloured layer onlyfinely grated coloured layer only
25 ml1¾ tbsp
Grape acquavite
3 g½ tsp
Fine salt
102.5 g½ cup
Caster sugarDough: 2.5 g for the yeast mixture. Coating: 100 g working quantity; some will remain.Dough: 2.5 g for the yeast mixture. Coating: 3½ oz working quantity; some will remain.

Frying

1,500 ml6⅓ cups
Peanut oilfrying bath, mostly left in the potfrying bath, mostly left in the pot

Boiling

2,100 ml9 cups
WaterBoiling: 2000 ml for the potatoes, discarded; not dough hydration. Shaping: 100 ml for dampening hands; not dough hydration.Boiling: 8½ cups for the potatoes, discarded; not dough hydration. Shaping: ½ cup for dampening hands; not dough hydration.

Equipment

Stand mixer with dough hook or a large mixing bowl
Deep 20 cm pot of at least 4 litres, frying thermometer and slotted spoon
Wooden skewer and kitchen paper

Method

Boil the potatoes whole in the boiling water for 25–30 minutes, until tender. Drain, peel and weigh the required cooked amount, then mash it. Spread the mash out for about 10 minutes, until lukewarm.Boil the potatoes whole in the boiling water for 25–30 minutes, until tender. Drain, peel and weigh the required cooked amount, then mash it. Spread the mash out for about 10 minutes, until lukewarm.
Warm the milk just to lukewarm. Dissolve the fresh yeast and dough sugar in half the milk; stir the saffron into the other half. Mix the two flours with the potato, ricotta, citrus zests, orange juice, salt and baking powder.Warm the milk just to lukewarm. Dissolve the fresh yeast and dough sugar in half the milk; stir the saffron into the other half. Mix the two flours with the potato, ricotta, citrus zests, orange juice, salt and baking powder.
Work in the egg, acquavite and both milk mixtures. Knead with a mixer or beat vigorously by hand for about 15 minutes, until smooth, elastic and very soft. Cover and leave for 60–90 minutes, until doubled and airy.Work in the egg, acquavite and both milk mixtures. Knead with a mixer or beat vigorously by hand for about 15 minutes, until smooth, elastic and very soft. Cover and leave for 60–90 minutes, until doubled and airy.
Heat the frying oil to 170–175°C in the deep pot, keeping it below half the pot’s capacity. Divide the dough into 20 pieces with damp hands. Stretch each portion into a short rope and join the ends into a ring about 8–9 cm across, with a 3 cm opening.Heat the frying oil to 340–350°F in the deep pot, keeping it below half the pot’s capacity. Divide the dough into 20 pieces with damp hands. Stretch each portion into a short rope and join the ends into a ring about 3¼–3½ in across, with a 1¼ in opening.
Lower the rings into the oil carefully, cooking no more than 2 at a time. Fry for about 4 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and cooked through. Check the centre of the first fritter; if it is still wet, lower the heat slightly and extend the cooking. Keep the opening clear with a wooden skewer held away from the oil.Lower the rings into the oil carefully, cooking no more than 2 at a time. Fry for about 4 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and cooked through. Check the centre of the first fritter; if it is still wet, lower the heat slightly and extend the cooking. Keep the opening clear with a wooden skewer held away from the oil.
Drain on kitchen paper, then turn the warm fritters in the coating sugar. Serve freshly fried, when the surface is crisp and the centre is soft.Drain on kitchen paper, then turn the warm fritters in the coating sugar. Serve freshly fried, when the surface is crisp and the centre is soft.