Zippuli with Anchovies

Lunch | Italian

Prep time: 1 min Cook time: 15 min Servings: 10

Zippuli are Calabrian fried dough fritters, and they are one of those things that once you start eating you genuinely cannot stop. They are traditionally made around the holidays in Calabria, in the south of Italy, and you can have them plain, stuffed with potato, or filled with something like anchovies. Golden and crisp on the outside, light and airy on the inside, they are the kind of thing you put out as a starter and they are gone before the main course has even started.

I first had these at an Italian friend’s Easter lunch. Her family made a big batch of them as a starter and I could not stop eating them. Katelyn was a big fan of the plain ones, which were shaped like little doughnuts, but for me it is all about the anchovy ones. That hit of salt from the anchovy inside the soft dough is just really good.

Ingredient Notes

Dried yeast: The warm water activates the yeast, so temperature matters here. It needs to be warm, not hot. If the water is too hot it will kill the yeast and the dough will not rise. Aim for around body temperature, roughly 35-40 degrees Celsius. If it feels comfortable on your wrist, it is about right. If you're using fresh yeast, you just need to increase the quantity by 3, so 9 grams for this recipe.

Plain flour: Standard all-purpose flour works perfectly for this dough. There is no need for anything special. Once you add the flour, just mix until it comes together and stop. Overmixing will make the dough tough.

Anchovy fillets: Tinned anchovies in oil are ideal here. Drain them well before using so you are not adding extra oil into the dough. One whole anchovy fillet per fritter is the right amount. They mellow out beautifully during frying and are not as strong as you might expect.

Peanut oil: Peanut oil has a high smoke point which makes it great for deep frying. Any neutral oil like sunflower, vegetable, or canola will work just as well. Avoid olive oil for the frying as it has a lower smoke point and will not handle the heat as well.

Equipment:

Large mixing bowl
Danish dough whisk or wooden spoon
Deep saucepan or heavy-based pot
Cooking thermometer
Wire rack and tray for draining

Ingredients

½ small bunch flat leaf parsley leaves
200ml warm water
3.5g dried yeast
½ tsp caster sugar
½ tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
250g (1⅔ cup) plain flour
10-12 anchovy fillets
peanut oil (or other neutral oil), for deep frying
sea salt, for seasoning

Directions

Make the Dough
Finely chop the parsley leaves.
Combine the water, yeast, sugar, salt, olive oil and the parsley in a large bowl. Mix gently until everything has combined.
Add the flour and mix until it all comes together and is not super lumpy. Cover with a tea towel and let it prove for 1 hour.
Fry the zippuli
Heat enough oil in a deep saucepan for deep frying to 170°C (340°F).
With oiled hands, take some dough and add one anchovy to the center and fold the dough over the top of it. Make sure the anchovy is completely covered and enclosed in the dough.
Place in the oil and fry for 5-6 minutes, turning over to cook on both sides until golden.
Drain the zippuli on a wire rack over a tray and season with salt before serving.

Recipe notes

Chef Tips

Watch your oil temperature

If the oil is too hot, the outside of the zippuli will colour before the dough inside has had time to cook through. You want it at a steady 170 degrees Celsius. A thermometer is the easiest way to keep it consistent. If you do not have one, drop a small piece of dough in the oil and it should sizzle steadily without browning too fast.

Use a danish dough whisk if you have one

A danish dough whisk incorporates the ingredients really nicely without overworking the dough. If you do not have one, a wooden spoon does the job. Either way, stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together.

Try different fillings

The anchovy version is my favourite, but these are great with other fillings too. Try a piece of salami, a cube of smoked provolone, or a single olive. You can also make them plain, which is closer to the traditional version and still really good on its own.

Serve them straight from the oil

These are at their best the moment they come out of the fryer, while the outside is still crisp and the inside is warm and soft. If you let them sit they will lose that crunch quite quickly. Season with a little sea salt as soon as they come out.

Work in batches

Do not overcrowd the pan when frying. Adding too many at once drops the oil temperature and you end up with greasy fritters instead of crisp ones. Fry three or four at a time depending on the size of your pan, and let the oil come back up to temperature between batches.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time? You can make the dough and let it prove, but once it has rested for an hour you really want to cook the fritters straight away. The dough does not hold well once it has risen.

Can I use fresh yeast? Yes, just increase the quantity from 3 grams to 9 grams.

Can I make them gluten free? Traditional zippuli are made with plain flour, so they are not gluten free as written. Some versions use mashed potato in the dough which can be made gluten free more easily. You could experiment with a gluten free flour blend but the texture will likely be a little different.

How do I know when they are cooked through? They should be a deep golden brown on the outside and feel light when you lift them. If you are unsure, cut one open after cooking. The inside should be cooked through with no raw dough. Five to six minutes in the oil at 170 degrees is usually enough.