Strauben (Tyrolean Fried Fritters)

La storia di questo piatto

In South Tyrol, where Alpine peaks meet a table shaped by both Tyrolean and Italian hearts, strauben are a humble pleasure of the mountain kitchen. Golden, tangled ribbons of batter fried in sunflower oil, they carry the quiet generosity of a place that turns simple things into feast.

Ingredienti

• 200 g Type 00 flour
• 2 pieces Eggs
• 150 ml Whole milk
• 30 g Granulated sugar
• 1 g Fine salt
• 5 g Grated lemon zest
• 600 ml Sunflower seed oil for frying (fixed quantity, for deep frying: do not scale with servings)
• 40 g Icing sugar for dusting

Preparazione

1. Pour the flour into a wide bowl and use your hand to make a well in the center, like a small crater: into it go the eggs, milk, sugar, salt and grated lemon zest. Grate only the yellow part of the lemon; the white pith underneath is bitter and would spoil the fragrance.
2. With a fork or whisk, mix starting from the center and gradually widening the circles, incorporating the flour from the edges without leaving lumps: the batter should become smooth and pourable like crêpe batter. Cover it with a cloth and let it rest at room temperature: the flour hydrates, the batter relaxes and the flavors blend better.
3. Pour the oil into a tall pot or wok: the oil for deep frying is a fixed quantity, needed to fully submerge the strauben regardless of the number of servings. Heat it well, without rushing: you need a temperature of 170–180°C; check it with a kitchen thermometer if you have one. If not, test with a drop of batter: if it rises immediately, sizzling, the oil is ready.
4. Fill a piping bag without a tip, or a bottle with a narrow spout, with the soft batter. Let it drop directly into the hot oil, moving your hand to create irregular shapes, knots and curls: precision is not needed here; in fact, the more whimsical they are, the more beautiful they will look.
5. Fry them until golden, turning them gently with a slotted spoon so they color on every side. Watch the color carefully: it should be a warm, even golden, not dark brown, or they will turn bitter.
6. Drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil, then dust generously with icing sugar while still warm: it adheres better and melts slightly on the surface, creating that sweet little crust that makes them irresistible.