• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour, sifted
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• Fat or oil for frying
• Sugar for garnish (fine baker’s sugar is best)

To toast nuts: heat nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing or stirring them frequently until they start to brown and you can smell a toasty scent.

Combine cheese, flour, egg whites in bowl. Stir in toasted and cooled nuts making sure to get them evenly distributed in the thick batter.

Drop by spoonfuls into hot fat ( A small scoop will help make the fritters round.)

Fry until golden brown

Drain on paper towels and roll in sugar while still hot.

Variations: other nuts can be substituted. Particularly walnuts or hazelnuts. Toast them in the same manner and chop to a size resembling pine nuts.

About the Source:  Libro di cucina/Libro per cuoco (Anonimo Veneziano) is an Italian cookbook associated with Venice and dated to the late 14th or early 15th century. We worked from the Translation by Helewyse de Birkstad, OL (MKA Louise Smithson) from the transcription of Ludovico Frati.