When Mica Talmor, an Israeli chef from Pomella in Oakland, grew up, he would eat apricot jam doughnuts or sufganiyot every Hanukkah. She is still a big fan of sufganiyot, but also likes to make these soft, free-form dough sticks, which will be served at the Piedmont Avenue restaurant during the Festival of Lights.

A few years ago, she developed this recipe to satisfy her craving for sfinge, a chewy Moroccan doughnut, also known as zeppole in Italy. The fritters are made from a liquid yeast starter called poolish, and each batch contains two tablespoons of citrus peel.

Sifted powdered sugar complete

Mix the mixed ingredients together and chill in the refrigerator for at least eight hours or overnight.

In a small bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together.

In a large bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, ricotta cheese, citrus zest, vanilla, and salt. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Don't over mix. Mix the ricotta cheese mixture with the pool and let stand for 30 minutes.

Add vegetable oil to a heavy pot to a depth of 4 inches. Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Related article 3 ways to infuse cannabis into your favorite Thanksgiving recipes Hanukkah recipes: my goodness! Delicious grilled or fried Sufganiyot Hanukkah recipe: my goodness! Yummy's Olive Oil Marble Pound Cake Make this: Try this hot smoked salmon appetizer made in advance. For Arab Americans, it’s not Thanksgiving without hashweh

Scoop or pipe the pellets directly into hot oil and fry until golden brown. It takes about 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of the fritters. Remove from the oil and drain.

Finally, roll the fried dough sticks in sifted powdered sugar and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

— Courtesy of Mica Talmor, Pomella

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