Lemon Ricotta Crab Beignets

These lemon ricotta crab beignets are the kind of appetizer that makes people stop talking - yes, they're that good! Every bite gives you crisp edges, a pillowy middle, and sweet crab, paired with a delicious saffron aioli.

Recipe

Print Recipe

Lemon Ricotta Crab Beignets

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: seafood

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Saffron aioli

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon saffron threads (about 15 strands)
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 garlic clove grated
• salt

Beignets

• 8 ounces whole-milk ricotta
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• zest of 1 lemon
• ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 8 ounces lump crab meat
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• neutral oil for frying

Instructions

• Make the aioli. Warm the lemon juice in the microwave for 10 seconds. Crumble the saffron threads into the lemon juice and let bloom for 10 minutes, until the liquid turns deep gold. Whisk the saffron lemon juice into the mayonnaise with olive oil, smoked paprika, and grated garlic. Season with salt. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Drain the ricotta in a fine-mesh strainer for 15 minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the drained ricotta and eggs until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
• Add ricotta mixture, lemon zest, and grated parmesan to dry mixture. Stir until just combined. Gently fold in the crab and chives, keeping the crab in lumps.
• Heat 2 to 3 inches of neutral oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven to 350°F.
• Working in batches, drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the hot oil. Fry 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined rack and season with flaky salt. Serve hot with the saffron aioli.

Video

Notes

The aioli can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make saffron aioli

Start with the saffron aioli, since it only gets better as it sits.

Warm two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Then, crumble a generous pinch of saffron threads into the warm juice and let them bloom for 10 minutes.

You will know the saffron is ready when the liquid turns a deep, sunset gold.

Whisk the saffron lemon juice into half a cup of good mayonnaise. I prefer to use Duke's mayonnaise for the best results.

Add a small grated garlic clove, a drizzle of fruity olive oil, smoked paprika, and a pinch of kosher salt to season. Then, move the aioli to the refrigerator while you work on the rest.

Step 2: Prepare batter

Next, prepare the batter. The most important step in making the batter is draining the ricotta. Straining the ricotta in a fine mesh strainer for 15 minutes allows the excess moisture to drain. Skip this step, and the batter turns watery, resulting in soggy beignets.

I also highly recommend using whole milk ricotta. Low-fat ricotta has more moisture, which will, in turn, make the batter wetter and harder to fry.

In a large bowl, whisk the drained ricotta with two eggs until smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. If you don't want a little kick, you can omit the red chili flakes.

Stir in the lemon zest and grated Parmigiano, followed by the dry ingredients. Stir the batter just until combined; it should be thick and a little lumpy.

Then, fold in the lump crab and chopped chives gently, keeping the crab in big pieces.

Step 3: Fry

Now it's time to get frying! Pour two to three inches of neutral oil into a heavy pot or Dutch oven and heat to 350°F.

A thermometer is not optional here since the temperature makes a huge difference in the outcome. If the oil is too cold, the beignets will be soggy from absorbing too much oil. On the other hand, if it's too hot, the outside will brown too quickly while the inside won't cook fully.

Drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the hot oil, about four or five at a time. I like to use a small ice cream scooper for consistent sizes.

Resist the urge to crowd the pot since each beignet needs room to puff and float.

Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown on all sides. Then, transfer the beignets to a paper towel-lined rack and season immediately with flaky salt. Serve them hot, piled on a platter with the saffron aioli on the side.

These lemon ricotta crab beignets pull off the trick of being both rich and light. The exterior is crisp while the interior is tender, with sweet crab and bright lemon. Meanwhile, the saffron aioli is the perfect dipping sauce, adding a subtle smoky and floral flavor.

Make these for a dinner party and watch the platter empty before you can sit down!

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: Saffron aioli holds in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The flavor deepens overnight.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Leftover fried beignets can be reheated in a 350°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes. They will not be quite as good as fresh, but they hold up better than most fried foods.

More Italian appetizers

Looking for more Italian appetizers? Try these: