Petulla made with Yogurt
Our family loves petulla! These fried dough treats are similar to zeppole, a popular fried snack among the people of Calabria and the Arbëreshë.
Christmas and Eid in Albania aren’t complete without a platter of petulla with honey, cheese or jam on the table.
This recipe is very forgiving, and you can easily make substitutions based on your preferences and what you have stocked in your pantry. If you don’t have yogurt, you can use milk, instead. If you’re making this for kids and you want it a little healthier, you can add extra eggs or replace some of the flour with whole wheat flour. Some people swear by adding a little splash of raki to the batter, claiming it keeps the petulla from absorbing too much oil when they fry, but we don’t recommend this method.
Ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup yogurt
- ½ t salt
- 2 T olive oil
- 2 cups flour
- ½ t baking soda
- 2 cups oil (for frying)
Directions:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg, yogurt, salt, and olive oil.
- Stir in the flour and baking soda.
- Heat the frying oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Use a spoon to drop scoops of batter into the hot oil. Fry on both sides until the petulla are crisp and golden brown. Set the petulla on paper towels to drain.
- Enjoy your petulla plain or finish them with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Serve with cheese, honey, and jam.
