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Pizzarelle with Zabaglione

(recipe, Ronnie Fein)

Introduction

This Italian version of Chremslach (Matzo Fritters) makes a lovely Passover dessert.

Ingredients

Pizzarelle

1. 3 large eggs, separated
2. Pinch of salt
3. 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4. ¼ cup sugar
5. 1 tsp. grated fresh lemon or orange peel
6. ¾ cup matzo meal
7. ½ cup currants, raisins, or dried cranberries
8. ⅓ cup pine nuts
9. Vegetable oil for frying
10. 1 lb. honey (optional)

Zabaglione

1. 6 egg yolks
2. ⅔ cup sugar
3. 1 cup sweet Passover wine

Steps

1. Make the fritters: Beat the egg yolks, salt, and vegetable oil together. Set aside.
2. Beat the egg whites and sugar until they are glossy and stand in stiff peaks. Fold into the yolk mixture. Fold in the lemon peel and matzo meal. Fold in the currants and pine nuts. Let stand for 15 minutes.
3. With wet hands, shape a walnut-size ball of dough into a round about ½-inch thick. Heat some vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the rounds on both sides for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown.
4. To serve with honey, place the fritters in a saucepan, pour honey over the cooked rounds, and cook over low heat until hot. Or make the zabaglione sauce, below, and serve warm with the sauce.
5. Make the zabaglione: Place the egg yolks, sugar, and wine in the top part of a double boiler set over barely simmering water. Beat with an electric hand mixer set at medium speed for about 10 minutes or until the sauce is thick, foamy, and voluminous.
6. To serve with zabaglione sauce, reheat the fritters in a preheated 400-degree oven for 3 to 4 minutes per side and pour the warm sauce on top.