Polenta Apple and Ricotta Fritters

Polenta apple and ricotta fritters are too easy and delicious you’ll wonder why you haven’t whipped up a batch before.

These little fritters are moist, light and absolutely moreish with a lovely texture from the polenta and ricotta. They are scrumptious served both warm or hot and also marry beautifully with a dollop cream for a little extra indulgence.

WE DARE YOU TO TRY AND STOP AT ONE

These little morsels are just the thing to serve at a brunch or sitting by the fire. It’s the sort of thing we like to make when the weather turns a little cooler and you’re just looking for a nice quick little treat to make.

Making the fritters is super easy

Basically you’re just mixing polenta, flour, sugar and baking powder and a pinch of salt. Then add the cream, egg and vanilla and whisk till smooth. Allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes and then stir in the apples and ricotta. Heat the oil and fry in small batches. Too easy!

Apples

We’ve used Pink Lady apples as we particularly like the sweet crisp flavour of the apple but you could use Granny Smith, Jazz, Honey Crisp or any apple that doesn’t go mushy when cooked. 

For this recipe we have grated some of the apple on the medium holes of a box grater, and diced some for more texture.

As you grate the apples you’ll get a bit of juice and we add that to the mixture also.

What oil to use

Use a neutral flavoured oil with a high smoke point such as vegetable oil, peanut, canola or rice bran oil. Deep frying requires quite a lot of oil but it is fine to strain the oil after frying, allowing it to cool and pour it back in the bottle for another use.

Obviously if you’re deep frying fish or a similarly strong flavoured ingredient the oil will be tainted with the fish flavour. This oil would only be ok to use again if frying more fish or the like. 

How to test if your oil is hot enough without a thermometer

A thermometer is obviously the best tool to tell you if the oil is hot enough though there a few ways to test the temperature if you don’t own one.

• when the oil has preheated, dip the handle of a wooden spoon or chopstick into the oil. If no bubbles pop up the oil is not hot enough. When the oil starts steadily bubbling around the handle the oil is hot enough, however if the bubbles are vigorous the oil is too hot – usually a medium high temp is enough
• drop a largish cube of bread into the oil and if it browns in sixty seconds the oil is hot enough.

Frying the fritters

Rule number one is to not overcrowd the pan as it will drop the temperature of the oil resulting in oily fritters. Generally speaking the higher the temperature the less oil is absorbed by the fritters and the crispier the result. Frying in small batches is the key.

What you’re looking for is a deep golden brown colour which takes around 4-5 minutes.

Watch How To Make Polenta Apple and Ricotta Fritters

Check out some more winning apple desserts

click on the link for the recipe…..Apple Tarte Tatin with Star Anise and Black Pepper

click on the link for the recipe…..Fresh Apple Crumble Cake

click on the link for the recipe…..French Apple Cake

Quick Apple and Sour Cream Slice

click on the link for the recipe…..Apple Frangipane Tart

We would love to hear from you in the comments below when you make these delicious polenta apple and ricotta fritters.

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Yield: about 20

Polenta Apple and Ricotta Fritters

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

These delicious little apple fritters are light, moist and moreish. They're easy and quick to make and are scrumptious served either hot or warm.

Recipe from Australian Gourmet Traveller Magazine

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Ingredients

• 120g (4 ounces) coarse polenta
• 120g (4 ounces) plain (all purpose) flour
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 150 ml (5 fluid ounces) pouring cream
• 1 large egg
• pinch of salt
• scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 110g (4 ounces) firm ricotta
• 3 large pink lady apples, unpeeled- 2 apples coarsely grated and the other finely cubed (use any juice from the grating as well
• vegetable oil for deep frying

Cinnamon Sugar

• 150gm (5 ounces) caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder

Instructions

1. combine polenta, flour, sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a bowl
2. add cream, egg and vanilla and whisk till smooth
3. stand for 5 minutes to thicken slightly
4. stir in ricotta and apple making sure you don't break up the ricotta too much (you want little lumps dispersed throughout the mixture)
5. combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside
6. heat oil in a saucepan to 170c (340f)
7. add rough spoonfuls of the mixture to the hot oil (be careful as oil will spit)
8. deep fry, turning occasionally until a deep golden brown (4-5 minutes)
9. drain briefly on kitchen paper and toss in cinnamon sugar to coat and serve hot
10. enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Yield

20

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 2699Total Fat 275gSaturated Fat 174gTrans Fat 9gUnsaturated Fat 83gCholesterol 884mgSodium 460mgCarbohydrates 44gFiber 2gSugar 38gProtein 26g

Nutritional information provided here is only intended as a guide.