Ollieballen are literally 'oil balls'. In Croatian and Italian culture they are called 'fritule' or fritters and are fried also during the Holidays. I believe they exist all over Europe in some form or other. However, Dutch eat them exclusively on New Year's Eve to insure good luck for the up-coming year. Mind you, the feasting probably goes on for a couple of days as when you take the trouble of making these delicious treats, you usually make a lot. And I mean a lot. Enough to feed the village, so to speak.
Ollieballen are little yeast risen dough balls usually with raisins and sometimes chopped apples that are fried golden brown. Appelflappen are like apple fritters, but much much better.
Here are my pics and they were absolutely delicious this year. Unfortunately, I do not have a recipe as my mother-in-law does it by eye "a little of this...and a little of that" type cooking. I will ask her to write something down, but that may take a little convincing.
