Bombitsa: Mum's Croatian doughnuts are fried happiness

With three kids under five and no car, mum had become an expert at tweaking recipes to suit what was on hand and these doughnuts were an incredible work in progress.

These Croatian mini doughnuts are a crowd-pleaser. Source: Belinda Luksic

Europe's love affair with doughnuts is everywhere. Italy has zeppole; the Netherlands has oliebollen and Germany has the little lemon-vanilla puffs, called schmalzkuchen. In France, it's the fried pate à choux known as a beignet.

The deep-fried love affair continues in Sydney's south, where I grew up. When I was a kid, mum made a poor man's version of the Croatian fritule. They were sweet, sultana-laden fritters inspired by the Venetian fritole, which she liked to call bombitsas, or "little bombs".

Few childhood dishes elicit as much joy as those golden mini doughnuts. Crispy on the outside, soft and springy on the inside. Every mouthful was a slightly boozy explosion of sultanas, citrus and rakija (Croatian brandy).

They were a hot favourite whenever friends or family dropped in. The minute the doorbell rang, mum would be in the kitchen whipping up a batch. In no time at all, the first of the fritters would be golden fried, smothered in vanillin sugar and ready to eat.

Serve piping hot smothered in vanillin sugar. Source: Belinda Luksic

As kids, we'd hover in the kitchen like seagulls, ready to swoop. Then, we'd juggle a piping hot doughnut between our hands, sneaking nibbles until it was cool enough to eat.

Those bombitsa are a sweet thread down memory lane that was tied into afternoons of playing Barbies with cousins, make-believe boyfriend games with friends and backyard cricket in summer.

Crispy on the outside, soft and springy on the inside, every mouthful was a slightly boozy explosion of sultanas, citrus and rakija.

It's no surprise the Venetian fritole made its way to the Balkans. That scoop of Mediterranean coastline between Venice and the Croatian port city of Rijeka, four hours away, has been both Venetian and Italian at different times. First owned by Illyria pirates, the coastline turned Venetian in 1267, Austrian in 1797, French in 1809, Austrian again in 1815, Italian in 1920, Yugoslav after World War II, and finally, Croatian, in 1991. 

This Martha or Arthur existence created a melting pot of culture and cuisine that today owes more than a little to Italy. In fairytale towns like Pula and Istria that seem to tumble toward the sea, the dialect is peppered with Italian and German. Further along in Rijeka, the official language is Fiuman, a throwback to 1920 when it was the independent Venetian state of Fiume. Close your eyes, and you could easily be transported to an Italy of old.

Like its Venetian counterpart, the Dalmatian fritule is a festival treat popular at Easter or Christmas. It's a simple batter of flour, sugar, salt, milk and yeast, to which raisins, citrus zest and booze are added. There are variations, of course. Some regions add potato to the batter. Others replace the raisins with apple or chocolate. But to my mind, the original rum, raisin and citrus combo is best.

Cook for a minute or two on either side, but don't overcrowd the pan. Source: Belinda Luksic

Mum's bombitsa was a work in progress. With three kids under five and no car, she had become an expert at tweaking recipes to suit what was on hand. Water replaced the milk. Yeast was ditched altogether. Sometimes currants stood in for raisins. In summer, when the citrus trees were bowed with fruit, she'd add the zest of orange, lemons and mandarin.

Thanks to my grandfather's illicit still, there was rakija aplenty, a lethal 40 per cent proof gifted to us in jam jars. When that ran out, mum would switch to rum or brandy. Today she makes it with Slivovica, a plum brandy available at most major liquor stores.

It's said alcohol in the batter stops the doughnuts from getting oily. One thing is certain — it definitely gives it a delicious oomph. If you want to get fancy, pre-soak the raisins in rum for five minutes. Or do as my mum does, and free pour an extra slurp or two. You won't be disappointed.

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Bombitsa

Makes 45 doughnuts

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• Pinch salt
• 1-2 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp lemon zest (or lemon and orange zest)
• 1 ¼ cups water, plus ¼ cup extra
• 2-3 tbsp Slivovica, plum brandy (optional and can omit if making them for children)
• 1 cup sultanas
• Sunflower oil, for frying
• Vanillin sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Mix together in a bowl flour, salt, sugar and lemon zest (or orange and lemon zest) 
2. Add water and beat to a smooth batter. Add ¼ cup extra water, if needed. The batter should be smooth, but not runny.
3. Stir in Slivovica (or brandy) 
4. Add the sultanas and mix to combine
5. Fill two-thirds of a saucepan with sunflower oil
6. Place over medium heat until oil reaches 180°C or bubbles form when the handle of a wooden spoon is inserted
7. Using two teaspoons, drop 8-9 teaspoonfuls of batter into the oil, leaving enough room between the bombitsa for the oil to bubble
8. Cook 1-2 minutes, turn over and cook for an extra minute or two until golden. The bombitsa will sound slightly hollow when cooked
9. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel
10. Continue frying until all the bombitsa is cooked
11. Dust liberally with Vanillin sugar 
12. Serve piping hot or within 12 hours.

 

Love the story? Follow the author here: Instagram @belindaluksic. Photographs by Belinda Luksic.