Italian Fried Doughnuts (Ciambella Fritta)

Method

1. Combine all ingredients: 500 g flour, 18 g dried yeast, 90 g butter, 90 g milk, 200 g eggs, 80 g sugar, zest of 1 lemon, and vanilla extract.
2. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, as shown.
3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let it rise in a turned-off oven with the light on for about 2 hours, or until tripled in volume.
4. Divide the dough into 100 g pieces and shape each into a ball.
5. Using your thumb, poke a hole in the center of each ball and gently stretch it to form a ring.
6. Place the rings on oiled parchment paper and let them rise for about 1 hour, until doubled.
7. Fry in sunflower oil at 160°C: lower the rings into the oil with the parchment paper, then remove the paper.
8. Drain and immediately toss in granulated sugar while still hot.