These unique, savory potato donuts are a classic Calabrian treat. They go by different names in almost every town, but we’ve chosen our local title: curujicchi (singular is “curujicchia”). This recipe is particularly dear to our heart, as curujicchi have taken on a special significance in our hometown of Dasà, where they have come to symbolize joy, happiness, celebration, love and community.
How to Make the Best Potato Donuts
Treating the potato correctly will go a long way to making sure you achieve the perfect curujicchi texture. Be sure to boil your potato with the skin on—this will help it from absorbing too much water.
It’s also important to get the right ratio of potato to flour. While boiling theoretically doesn’t change the weight of a potato drastically, you’ll still need to weigh the necessary amount after boiling it. We recommend starting with a really big russet potato to make sure you have enough in the end. Worst case, you’ll have some extra mashed potatoes to eat!
The amount of water needed to mix into the dough can also vary. Start with a small amount, about ¼ cup, and gradually add more until you arrive at a dough that is soft and smooth but not sticky. Don’t worry, you can always remedy a sticky dough with a little extra flour.
Variations
In Dasà, curujicchi are sometimes served sweet instead of savory, but not by adding sugar into the dough. Simply try dipping a curujicchia into some honey!
Another common curujicchi variation is to use the dough to make stuffed balls. Common stuffings include spicy ‘nduja or anchovies.
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Curujicchi Recipe
Makes: 12 to 15 donuts
Cook Time: 5 to 6 hours, largely unattended
For this recipe, you will need:
- 1 large russet potato
- 400 grams bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 100 grams semolina flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 ¼ teaspoons (4 grams) active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons (12 grams) salt
- Oil for frying (Extra-virgin olive oil is the best choice, but can be expensive given the quantity. Substitute with sunflower or peanut oil.)
Boil the potato, skin on, until a paring knife can easily be inserted (about 45 minutes). Drain the potato and allow it to cool to the touch. Peel the potato and measure out 250 grams with a kitchen scale. Save the remainder for use elsewhere.
Mix the flours and yeast together in a bowl and pour them into a pile on a large work surface. Use your hand to form a hole in the center, making a volcano shape. Use a potato ricer to mash the 250 grams of potato into the center (you can also mash the potato in a separate bowl with a masher or fork, then add it to the flour). Roughly mix all together by hand.
Hollow out another hole in the center of the mix and add water. Start by adding ¼ cup (60 milliliters) of water. Knead the water in until it is well-incorporated, then mix in the salt. If the dough is still dry, continue to knead in a little more water at a time until the dough is soft and smooth but not sticky. If you go too far and the dough becomes sticky, simply dust it with a little more bread flour.
When the dough is thoroughly mixed, form it into a ball and cover it with a large bowl. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Remove the bowl, sprinkle the dough with bread flour, knead it a little bit more (it should be much smoother now), then form it into a ball again and place the dough into the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 2 ½ to 3 hours, or until it doubles in size.
After the dough has risen, transfer it onto a work surface generously dusted with semolina flour. With a knife or bench scraper, cut it into 12 to 15 equal portions. Take a piece and roll it under your palms until it forms a short “rope” about 12 inches (30 ½ centimeters) long. Press the ends together to form a round donut shape and place on a surface dusted with semolina flour. Repeat with the remainder of the dough to form all of the donuts.
Cover the shaped curujicchi with a clean towel and let them rise for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, or until they visibly rise and puff up a bit.
Fill a large, deep pan with 2 ½ to 3 inches (6 to 8 centimeters) of oil and bring up to a high temperature on the stovetop. Aim for around 355 °F (180 °C), but if you don’t have a thermometer, just drop a small morsel of dough in to see if it’s ready. When the oil bubbles furiously and immediately upon contact, it is hot enough to fry.
Fry the curujicchi one at a time or in batches of 2 to 3, depending on how big your frying pan is. Carefully place each donut into the oil and fry, turning often with forks or tongs, until golden brown on both sides.
Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel to cool slightly. Serve fresh and warm for best results.
Buon appetito!
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