By Leanne Shor
I know that sufganiyot — jelly doughnuts — are traditional and beloved for Hanukkah. But I feel confident that once you try these easy and incredibly delicious ricotta fritters, you will be converted to these sweet fried treats.
And if I’m making a confession, I have actually never loved traditional sufganiyot. Sometimes our family made our own, or bought from local bakeries, but were usually left feeling kind of “meh.” They were always a bit too bready and heavy.
Around 10 years ago my sister enlightened us all with these perfectly crisp, round fritters. They’re so light and creamy with a hint of fresh lemon zest. The batter comes together in just five minutes, and it is as easy as making pancakes. We love to warm up some of my mom’s homemade jellies and jams for dipping.
Since these babies are at their absolute best right when they’re fresh, I like to fry them up while I make tea after the holiday meal. The “wow” factor of fresh fritters is incomparable! Our guests love the deconstructed sufganiyot because it’s unexpected and gets people talking. I lserve a variety of warm jellies like pomegranate, peach and blackberry.
Note: I doubt you will have any fritters left over, but if you do, store them in a paper bag for one or two days at room temperature.