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Fritters
Vegan style Italian fried dough
Mary's Vegan Italian Sweet Fritters (using vegetable shortening, flour, sugar, rum and lemon zest)
Originated from: Italy and North America
Occasion: Any time
Contributed by: Mary Melfi

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Ingredients

For dough*
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Marsala wine (or Rum)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, softened (liquid form)
Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon mixed with 1 teaspoon sugar

Vegetable oil for frying

Topping
Icing sugar

*Yield: about 2 dozen fritters



Directions

Using an electric beater, mix wet ingredients with dry ones and quickly work into a soft, malleable dough.

Form dough into a ball.

Wrap with plastic wrap, and place in fridge. Allow to rest for 1/2 hour.

On a lightly floured wooden board, using a rolling pin, roll dough out to about 1/4 of an inch thick.

Using a serrated pastry cutter and a ruler as a guide cut out various rectangular and triangular shapes (anywhere from 4 inches long to 2 inches wide). Make decorative slits.

Heat up oil and then fry one or two fritters at a time until golden.

Remove and place on kitchen paper towels.

Cool.

Before serving sprinkle with icing sugar.


Notes

Most Italian sweet fritters include eggs. As I had a guest for Christmas dinner this year who was a vegan I came up with this recipe. Those who tried the fritters liked them and didn't notice that the dough lacked eggs. Comments and photo: Mary Melfi.

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