Saffron and Potato Doughnuts

These sweets are traditionally made for the celebrations of Carnevale, which runs from Giovedi Grasso (‘fat Thursday’), the Thursday before Lent, to Martedi Grasso (‘fat Tuesday’, Mardi Gras in French), the day before the Lenten fast begins. I remember my aunties shaping frisciolas like doughnuts with a hole in the middle, but they’re made in different shapes all over Italy. Frisciolas is the name for them in my dad’s dialect, but Mum calls them cattas<