Golden fried dough with yogurt and eggs
Petulla are Albanian fried dough pieces served with sweet or savoury accompaniments. This yogurt-and-egg version uses bicarbonate of soda and an overnight chilled rest. The source photograph shows petulla served with honey.
- Prep
- 15 mins
- Cook
- 25 mins
- Rest
- 30 mins
- Chill
- 8 hours
- Total
- 9 hours 10 mins
- Serves
- 6 servings (24 fritters)
The recipe
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Before you start
Allow 8 hours for chilling and 30 minutes before frying. Use a deep, heavy saucepan and a thermometer. Frying oil is a cooking medium; the full quantity is not consumed.
Ingredients
Quantities change with servings; cooking times stay the same.
Equipment
- Deep heavy saucepan paid link
- frying thermometer paid link
- mixing bowls paid link
- two spoons paid link
- slotted spoon paid link
- draining rack paid link
- kitchen scale paid link
Method
Mix the flour, bicarbonate and salt. Whisk the yogurt, egg and olive oil separately, then stir the mixtures together into a thick, sticky batter. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours.
Remove the batter 30 minutes before cooking. Heat frying oil to 175°C in a deep saucepan, no more than one-third full.
Use two lightly oiled spoons to lower roughly 35 g portions into the oil. Fry a small batch for 3–4 minutes, turning, until golden and cooked through. Split the first fritter to check that the centre is set.
Drain on a rack. Let the oil return to temperature between batches. Serve warm, with honey separately.
Chef’s notes
The batter is spooned, not kneaded or rolled. If the outside darkens before the centre cooks, reduce the oil temperature slightly and make smaller portions. Never add water to hot oil.
Tips and variations
Use plain, unsweetened yogurt. Keep honey separate if serving the same batch with cheese. This dough contains no yeast; the resting time is not a yeast proof.
Serve with
Allow four fritters per person as part of breakfast. Add a small bowl of jam or white cheese at the table rather than mixing toppings into the batter.
Storage
Best freshly fried. Cool leftovers, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours; eat within 48 hours. Reheat once in a 160°C oven until hot throughout. The crust will be softer than when fresh.
Nutrition per serving (estimated)
Nutrition has not been calculated. Portion size and the brands used will affect the final values.
Allergens
Contains wheat/gluten, milk and egg. Cheese served alongside adds milk. Use clean oil that has not been shared with allergens relevant to your guests.
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Questions
Can I use a shallow pan? A deep, heavy pan gives safer headroom for bubbling oil.
Why are the fritters greasy? Overcrowding can lower the oil temperature. Cook small batches and check with a thermometer.
Can I call them yeast doughnuts? This version is chemically leavened and has no yeast.
