By Dan Pelosi
Updated Dec. 16, 2023
- Total Time
- 2 hours 25 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 2¼ hours
- Rating
- 4(78)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Each bite of these anchovy-stuffed fried dough rounds begins with a perfectly crisp exterior that gives way to a yeasty, pillowy interior. Once you hit the fish at the center, you are in briny ecstasy. Simple yet addictive, these finger foods are often served at the start of a meal or as a snack at festive Italian and Italian-American gatherings. If you are cooking for vegetarians, feel free to stuff some balls with a sundried tomato or an olive instead. If making yeasted dough is not in the cards for you, you can use a pound of prepared pizza dough from a supermarket or pizza shop to achieve similar enough results.
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Ingredients
Yield:Makes 32 balls (8 servings)
- 2(¼-ounce) packets active dry yeast
- 1tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ⅓cup warm water
- 1¼cups hot water
- 4tablespoons/56 grams unsalted butter, softened
- 1teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or ½ teaspoon table salt
- 3½ cups/440 grams all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- Vegetable oil, for deep-frying (4 to 5 cups) and greasing bowl
- 32oil-packed anchovy fillets (from two 3.35-ounce jars), drained and separated
- Chopped parsley and lemon wedges, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
404 calories; 20 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 593 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar in the warm water. Set aside until foamy and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Step
2
Meanwhile, pour the hot water into a large mixing bowl. Add butter, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt and stir until butter melts. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add yeast mixture and flour and stir to combine into a shaggy dough.
Step
3
Knead dough on a generously floured surface for 5 minutes, until a smooth ball is formed. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly and let rise for 1 hour.
Step
4
Clip a deep-fry thermometer to the side of a large Dutch oven and set it over medium heat. Add oil to a depth of 2 to 3 inches and heat to 400 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can drop a small piece of dough into the oil. If it sizzles immediately, it’s ready.
Step
5
While the oil heats, scoop the dough into 32 balls (about 1 very generous tablespoon each). Hold a ball in your palm and use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of the dough. Place one whole anchovy inside, pinch the dough shut, then roll into a smooth ball, completely submerging the anchovy in dough. Continue doing this with the rest of the balls and anchovies, placing them on a tray as you go.
Step
6
Working in batches so as to not overcrowd the pot, carefully lower the dough balls into the hot oil and fry until dark golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes, turning as needed to evenly brown. Place fried balls on a paper towel-lined tray to drain and cool slightly. Continue frying the dough balls, allowing the oil to return to 400 degrees in between batches.
Step
7
Serve hot, warm or at room temperature, topped with parsley and served with lemon wedges.
Ratings
4
out of 5
78
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Cooking Notes
Cathy
Oh, my! We called them something like "monagelli" - "moan-ah-jay-ee" - and Grandma used Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix, oddly enough, which I imagine is still an option. The dough was looser and the balls were not nearly as neat, anchovies poking out in crispy points sometimes. Canned Italian tuna substituted for anchovies in half the batch for those with more delicate palates. I may have to make some this year. Buon Natale!
Wren
Would these work with a spray of oil in air fryer?
Barbara
My in-laws made these with a potato dough. There were a few on the dinner table but most of them were eaten standing around the stove, the steaming hot anchovy ball held in a paper towel. Delicious!Be sure to pinch the dough securely around the anchovy.I haven’t made them since my husband died. Maybe next year.
Lindsay
A couple of thoughts - you can simplify this recipe significantly by using instant yeast (it would be 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons). Whisk together dry ingredients, including the instant yeast. In the microwave, melt butter in 1/2 cup of water. When butter is melted, mix the hot water/butter mixture into 1 cup cold water. You now have perfect warm water to add to the dry ingredients. Mix and done. I found the dough to be very sticky, so I'd hold back 1/4 c. water/butter and add if needed.
jcgleas
Potato dough--our Calabrian version, called a grispelle, contains equal weight of unseasoned mashed potato and all purpose flour.
Alice
Made these for Christmas Eve tonight and they were delicious hot and also at room temperature. My family was calling them anchovy donuts and I will definitely make them again. I found dough to be too sticky, but extra flour kneaded in made them perfect. Worth the effort.
jcgleas
Potato dough--our Calabrian version, called a grispelle, contains equal weight of unseasoned mashed potato and all purpose flour.
Joannne
I baked mine at 450 for about 15-20 minutes, made a have recipe and probably could have gotten 20 out of it. They were at hit
Toni DeSanto
Made these for Christmas Eve. We didn’t love them. Seemed like they would be good with some marinara.
Alice
Made these for Christmas Eve tonight and they were delicious hot and also at room temperature. My family was calling them anchovy donuts and I will definitely make them again. I found dough to be too sticky, but extra flour kneaded in made them perfect. Worth the effort.
Veej
I tried coating with oil and cooking in an air fryer and the results were disappointing. The outside crust was hard and gave the flavor of pop and peel biscuits. I don't recommend.
Lindsay
A couple of thoughts - you can simplify this recipe significantly by using instant yeast (it would be 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons). Whisk together dry ingredients, including the instant yeast. In the microwave, melt butter in 1/2 cup of water. When butter is melted, mix the hot water/butter mixture into 1 cup cold water. You now have perfect warm water to add to the dry ingredients. Mix and done. I found the dough to be very sticky, so I'd hold back 1/4 c. water/butter and add if needed.
Barbara
My in-laws made these with a potato dough. There were a few on the dinner table but most of them were eaten standing around the stove, the steaming hot anchovy ball held in a paper towel. Delicious!Be sure to pinch the dough securely around the anchovy.I haven’t made them since my husband died. Maybe next year.
Lynn
Can these be air-fried?
Lynn
Can you make these in an air fryer? Yes, but....I found it worked best with small batches, because the dough expands as it cooks and if the balls of dough are too close they will bake together during cooking. I found that 7-8 minutes at 200°C worked well, but I also found these to be a LOT of bread, even though I used less dough with each successive batch (I made three small batches in total). In the end I decided to give these a miss - I'll use the rest of the dough to make pizza.
susan j
Would an air fryer allow for the same crispness on the outside? Debating if I should buy one or just fry ‘em up!
LizS
that is my question...for this I would buy and air fryer. Anyone try them in an air fryer and how were the results?
Deb
I just did a trial one in the air fryer — about 7 minutes at 375 degrees. It browned nicely and was crisp enough on the outside. I agree with the person who said it was a bit too much dough, so I’m going to double up on the anchovies for the rest of them.
RR
Could these be baked?
Cathy
Oh, my! We called them something like "monagelli" - "moan-ah-jay-ee" - and Grandma used Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix, oddly enough, which I imagine is still an option. The dough was looser and the balls were not nearly as neat, anchovies poking out in crispy points sometimes. Canned Italian tuna substituted for anchovies in half the batch for those with more delicate palates. I may have to make some this year. Buon Natale!
Kisa
I would love to try these with your Grandma's short cut of using Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix. If you get a moment, even if not for this Christmas season, I would be most appreciative of your recipe or guidelines to how to make them.
Wren
Would these work with a spray of oil in air fryer?
Jane Tunney
I like this question. I just gave away a deep fryer. Watching for an answer.
New to air fryer
I hope so as they sound tasty.
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