Graffe napoletane
Potato doughnuts
Graffe: Naples's soft yeasted potato doughnuts rolled in sugar
Graffe are the Neapolitan doughnut, sold warm at bars and pastry shops all year round but especially at Carnival: soft, fluffy rings made with mashed potato in the dough, which keeps them light and moist, fried and rolled in sugar. Neapolitans eat them for breakfast with an espresso, or as a children's snack after school. The name probably comes from the Austrian krapfen, brought to the city in the 1700s. Chef's tip: let the shaped rings rise on small squares of baking paper; you can lower them into the oil on the paper without knocking out the air, then pull the paper away.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 9 oz floury potatoesboiled in their skins, peeled and mashed
- 2 ⅛ oz caster sugar
- ¾ cup whole milklukewarm
- 2 eggs
- 2 ⅛ oz buttersoft
- 1 lemonzest only
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 ¼ cups sunflower or peanut oilfor frying
- 3 ½ oz caster sugarfor rolling
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour or tipo 00, ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast, 2 ⅛ oz caster sugar and 1 pinch salt. Add the cool mashed 9 oz floury potatoes, ¾ cup whole milk, 2 eggs, the zest of 1 lemon and 1 tsp vanilla extract and knead for 8 minutes. Knead in 2 ⅛ oz butter until the dough is smooth and soft. Cover and leave for 1½–2 hours, until doubled.
120 minStep 2: Divide into 12 balls. Roll each into a rope 20 cm long and join the ends into a ring. Put each on a square of baking paper and leave for 45 minutes, until puffy.
45 minStep 3: Heat 4 ¼ cups sunflower or peanut oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Lower 2–3 rings in on their paper, pull out the paper with tongs, and fry for 1½–2 minutes on each side, until deep golden. Common mistake: frying too hot; they brown before the middle cooks.
20 minStep 4: Drain on kitchen paper briefly and roll in 3 ½ oz caster sugar while hot. Best eaten the same day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does graffe napoletane take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of floury potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
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