Luna-Park Fritters

Name: Luna-Park Fritters
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: Manitoba flour 4 cups; Sugar ¼ cup; Fresh brewer's yeast 0.5 oz; Butter (at room temperature) 7 tbsp; Milk 1.3 cups; Lemon peel 2; Vanilla bean 1; Fine salt 1 ¾ tsp; Sugar to taste; Vegetable oil 4 ¼ cups

it fr es de br

403

Calories per serving

Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 403
Carbohydrates g 51.2
of which sugars g 13.1
Protein g 6.7
Fats g 19
of which saturated fat g 6.3
Fiber g 27
Cholesterol mg 1.2
Sodium mg 202

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serving: 10
Cost: Low
Note + 2 and a half hours of rising

PRESENTATION

Imagine yourself at an Italian fairground. The scent of Luna Park fritters is everywhere—really, it’s everywhere—and it’s tempting everyone with something sweet. These Italian carnival fritters are always round and a little flat. Perfectly flat. They have a crispy outside with a really tender inside. Super super tender, actually. Plus, they’re generously dusted with sugar, making each bite sweet and delightfully messy. It's like a sugar explosion. Many folks remember grabbing a bag at town festivals or summer carnivals, where vendors sold them alongside shiny praline almonds. And you know what? Grabbing a bag of frittelle del Luna Park feels like a special treat, bringing back memories of childhood and fun days out.

All over Italy, you’ll find little twists—like in Alto Adige, where they toss in apples, or Tuscany’s unique versions—but the core remains the same: fried, sugary, and definitely made for sharing.

Throughout Italy, these traditional Italian fritters pop up at sagre, the lively local festivals filled with food, music, and laughter. It’s really something. Friends or families gather around fresh fritters, sharing stories and licking sweet sugar off their fingers. And look, the joy comes not just from the food but from the whole scene—bright lights, music, and the sound of people having a good time.

Making Luna Park fritters at home brings that festive vibe right into your kitchen. Seriously, the smell of golden fried dough is hard to beat. While fair-bought ones have their own magic, homemade versions get pretty close. Pretty pretty close. Especially when you nail that moist, soft middle and perfect crispiness on the outside. Serve them with friends or family and see why these deep-fried Italian desserts are more than just a snack—they’re little bites of happiness, bringing a touch of Italian festival fun right to your table. For real.

INGREDIENTS

403

Calories per serving

Ingredients for the dough: Manitoba flour 4 cups (500 g); Sugar ¼ cup (50 g); Fresh brewer's yeast 0.5 oz (15 g); Butter 7 tbsp (100 g) - (at room temperature); Milk 1.3 cups (310 g); Lemon peel 2; Vanilla bean 1; Fine salt 1 ¾ tsp (10 g)

for sprinkling: Sugar to taste

for frying: Vegetable oil 4 ¼ cups (1 l)

Preparation

How to prepare Luna-Park Fritters

To prepare the Luna-Park fritters, start with the dough. First, pour the flour 1, sugar 2, and grated lemon zest 3 into the bowl of a stand mixer.

Also add the vanilla bean seeds 4. Start mixing with the hook attachment and pour in part of the milk 5. Add the crumbled yeast 6.

Then add the remaining milk 7. Mix for a few minutes, then add the salt 8 and wait for it to be fully absorbed. When the dough is well-bonded, add the butter. This step is crucial, add a piece at a time 9, waiting for it to be fully absorbed before adding more 9.

Wait for the dough to bond again with the hook 10, then gently remove it with your hands and transfer it to a surface 11 12.

At this point, give the dough a slap & fold: lift it gently and fold it back over itself while stretching it 13. Then slide your hands underneath and round it, obtaining a spherical shape 14. Transfer into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap 15.

Let it rise for 2 hours until it doubles in size 16. Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and form a loaf 18.

Using a dough cutter, cut pieces weighing about 95g 19. Shape them into balls 20 and place them on a tray lined with a cloth 21.

Let rise again for 30 minutes, also sprinkling a little flour on the surface and covering with a cloth 22. When there are just a few minutes left in the rising time, pour the oil into a large saucepan and heat it to 340°F (measured with a kitchen thermometer). When the oil is hot, take the first ball and begin to stretch it in your hand to create a thick rim, leaving the center thick and transparent between the center and edge 23. It should have a diameter of about 8 inches. Immerse the fritter in the hot oil 34, trying to cook one at a time.

The fritter should turn golden slowly, use a skimmer to keep it submerged in the oil and to flip it 25. When it is well golden, drain it 26 and place it on a tray with paper towels. Remove just the excess oil 27.

Then pass it, still hot, in the sugar 28, on both sides 29. Continue cooking the Luna-park fritters in this way and serve them while they are still warm 30.

Storage

We recommend serving the Luna-Park fritters immediately! Storing them won't keep the same fragrance and crispness.

Tip

You can also flavor the dough with cinnamon.

To determine if the oil is at the right temperature when you don't have a kitchen thermometer, you can immerse a small piece of dough. If it colors slowly and puffs up immediately, the oil is ready; if it darkens quickly, it means it's too hot.

Luna-Park fritters are also perfect as Carnival fritters!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.