← Nouns Cooking · Italian

Ingredients

• 500 g 00 flour or plain flour
• 7 g fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 125 ml Milk, lukewarm
• 125 ml Water, lukewarm
• 50 g Lard, soft (or butter)
• 1 l sunflower oil, for frying
• 200 g prosciutto, salami or mortadella, to serve
• 200 g stracchino or crescenza, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Mix the flour, yeast and sugar in a bowl. Add the lard, milk and water and start mixing, then add the salt. Knead for 8–10 min into a smooth, soft dough.
2. Cover and leave in a warm place for 1½ hours, until doubled.
3. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 3 mm thick and cut it into 6 cm diamonds or rectangles. Leave them for 10 min under a cloth.
4. Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F). Fry a few pieces at a time for 1–2 min, turning once, until puffed up and golden.
5. Drain on paper and serve hot in a basket with the cured meats and cheese.

Tips

• Use butter instead of lard and serve with cheeses and grilled vegetables for a vegetarian spread.
• Known as crescentina in Bologna and torta fritta in Parma.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Great Italian Chefs Inside The Rustic Kitchen GialloZafferano