Grandma Rose's Frittelle / Pita Frit (Sp?) [fried Pizza Dough]

Name: Grandma Rose's Frittelle / Pita Frit (Sp?) [fried Pizza Dough]
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 3 dozen? (not sure)
Ingredients: 1 ounce yeast (2 packages); 5 cups flour, sifted; 5 teaspoons salt; 1/2 cup Crisco shortening; 2 tablespoons sugar; 4 cups warm water

Submitted by soveria

"Tim C.: every holiday, Grandma Rose always made a big batch of these doughnut shaped fried dough rings, or sometimes in a ball shape with anchovy or cheese. Eating them brings back so many good memories!"

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Ready In:: 2hrs
Ingredients:: 6
Yields:: 3 dozen? (not sure)

ingredients

1 ounce yeast (2 packages)
5 cups flour, sifted
5 teaspoons salt
¹⁄₂ cup Crisco shortening
2 tablespoons sugar
4 cups warm water

directions

In a large bowl, mix yeast and sugar in 1 cup warm water. Let this rest until yeast starts to foam up (about 15-mins).
Add flour, salt, Crisco, and another 1 cup of water, and knead in bowl with yeast.
Keep adding water a little at a time, and knead until dough becomes a little tacky and starts to stick to hands.
Remove dough from bowl, add oil to bottom and sides to coat the bowl, then place dough back in bowl. Put a little oil on dough to coat, place a towel on bowl and let dough rise (1-2 hours?).
To make frittelle, in a deep sauce pan, pour enough oil so that it is 2-3 inches deep, and heat to 375 degrees.
Take a large spoonful of the dough and shape it like a doughnut. Another option is to make a dough ball with a hole in the center, and place a piece of filling in the center and close the dough over completely to seal. Filling can be piece of anchovy, feta or mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, or whatever else you want. Shaping the dough works best with oiled hands, but keep in mind if you are sealing the ball with filling, you may need to dust the opening with flour to get a good seal because otherwise the oil will keep it from sealing shut.
Fry in vegetable oil until golden and puffy. Drain on paper towels.
Can also brush tops with garlic oil and sprinkle with parm. cheese; or for a sweeter side, sprinkle with powdered sugar.