“Last Exit to Springfield” season 4, episode 17
This fan-favorite episode has plenty of LISA NEEDS BRACES incredible jokes DENTAL PLAN, perhaps more than any other episode? Argle bargle! There’s also a couple of recipes I’ll need to tackle in the future (exploding salmon puffs, for one), but this time I’m focusing on Italian-style doughnuts, proclaimed by Don Homer to be “molto bene.”
Mmm… organized crime. These ricotta and lemon doughnuts baked especially for Don Homer are sure to win his favor. With classic Italian ingredients, the specially baked treats are moist and delicious in the best of times and the blurst of times. They might even keep the hired goons away.
Molto Bene Doughnuts
makes 8-10 doughnuts
2/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, divided
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch nutmeg
1/4 cup chunky sugar like demarara
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a doughnut pan.
- Combine the ricotta cheese, granulated sugar, olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, zest, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a small mixing bowl and mix.
- Fold the flour into the ricotta mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Fill the spaces in the doughnut about 2/3 full, smoothing the top and keeping the center free of batter. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool a few minutes in the pan before turning out onto a cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining batter if needed.
- Paint the tops of the warm doughnuts lightly with the remaining lemon juice and press into the chunky sugar.
- That’s-a nice-a doughnut.
The Joy of Cooking Milhouse 