Ingredients

• 3 cups wheat flour
• pinch of salt (1/4 teaspoon)
• 1 and 1/2 cups warm water
• 50 g fresh yeast (at room temperature)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or oil

and:

• vegetable oil for frying
• powdered sugar for sprinkling

Optional additions:

• for dough: vanilla or lemon flavoring (1 teaspoon vanilla extract, vanilla sugar, zest grated from lemon, 1 teaspoon lemon extract or 1 tablespoon lemon liqueur)
• 2 apples for frying as filling for apple fritters

Preparation

1. Sift flour into a large bowl and mix with salt. Pour warm water into a cup, add yeast and mix thoroughly. Make a well in the flour, add sugar, pour in olive oil or oil, then gradually adding water with yeast, mix ingredients with a wooden spoon. You can also add vanilla or lemon flavoring.
2. Knead dough with a wooden spoon until smooth (approximately 4-5 minutes of mixing). Let rise in a warm place for approximately 1 hour. During this time you can prepare fried apples for filling. Peel apples and cut into quarters, removing seeds. Cut each quarter crosswise into approximately 0.5 cm pieces. Place on a skillet and fry without fat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft and lightly browned in places. Cool.
3. Dust work surface with a thin layer of flour. Using an oiled spoon, scoop portions of dough, form into balls and arrange on work surface keeping distances. Dough will be thin and runny. If making apple fritters, place 1 full teaspoon of apples into the center of dough.
4. Let rise for approximately 15 minutes. After this time you can start frying fritters (starting with those that were formed earlier and have already risen somewhat).
5. In a deep skillet with a thin coating, or in a wok (thick, cast iron skillets are not suitable for deep frying), pour oil to a height of approximately 3-4 cm. When hot, place dough portions into it, being careful so the oil temperature does not suddenly drop. Heat should be medium, fritters should sizzle constantly, but not brown very quickly. Fry each fritter for approximately 1-2 minutes on each side to golden color. During frying fritters will grow. Fry subsequent batches of fritters, pouring and heating additional oil as needed.
6. After frying, place fritters on paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve while still warm. Can be frozen and reheated. Best served hot.