We spent five nights in Emilia Romagna a few years ago, including stays in Bologna, Modena, and Parma. Emilia Romagna is a region well known for its amazing stuffed pasta, and its pork products, so we thoroughly enjoyed eating our way across the region. On our first day in Bologna, we experienced gnocco fritto for the first time, and I believe we ordered it every day after during our stay, it was just that good!
Just imagine airy light puffs of fried dough that served with prosciutto and other salami. The dough puffs are served warm, and when enjoyed with prosciutto, the heat of the dough warms up the prosciutto just enough to bring out the flavor of the meat. Some gnocco fritto are cut into small squares, while others are longer rectangles, which I preferred.
Although the dough is fried, it is so light it does not taste fried. The trick is to ensure that your oil is very hot so that the dough does not absorb too much fat.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah MeleÂ
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Tipo 00 Flour (Pizza Flour)
- 3 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Sugar
- 1 Cup Whole Milk
- 1/2 Cup Water (As Needed)
- 2 Cups Mild Oil For Frying
- Thinly Sliced Prosciutto
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar.
- Add the milk, and just enough water to bring the mixture together.
- Dump onto a lightly floured surface, and knead by hand for about 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and set in a warm spot in your kitchen until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- Roll out the dough to a 1/8th of an inch thickness.
- Cut into squares or rectangles.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan over high heat to 375 degrees F.
- Fry the dough in batches, until puffed and golden brown.
- Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.
- Serve immediately on a platter with sliced prosciutto.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6
Serving Size: 3 pieces
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 703Total Fat: 77gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 67gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 499mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 3g