Ingredients
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For the dough
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500 g Flour'0' type
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260 ml Sparkling water
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30 g Lard
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1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
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Salt
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For frying
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Lard
Directions
Gnocco fritto is a mouthwatering specialty of Emilia Romagna: puffy and golden, dry and hollow on the inside, it looks like it was made especially for stuffing with cold cuts and cheese. Easy to prepare and rather quick in execution. As an appetizer, snack or second course, gnocco fritto is best enjoyed with a glass of Lambrusco and in company.
Gnocco fritto is a delicious specialty of Emilia Romagna, especially of the provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia. A simple dough, made from water and flour, is transformed into what is a true staple of local gastronomy; it is eaten on any occasion accompanied by cured meats and cheeses. As an appetizer, aperitif or snack, gnocco fritto is enjoyed with Lambrusco and shared at the table. In the Modena area, breakfast with gnocco fritto, freshly made and steaming but also leftover from the night before, along with caffelatte, still prevails.
The traditional recipe for gnocco fritto does not include any kind of leavening agent: the presence of carbonated water causes a kind of natural leavening to take place. In this way, the lozenges of dough swell in frying and turn into a golden and soft, if crispy treat in the first bite. If you want to try your hand at tradition, omit the baking soda and let the dough rest for 2-3 hours wrapped in a dish towel, taking it back to reshuffle briefly every 30 minutes or so.
On one thing, however, purists do not compromise: gnocco fritto is fried in lard, which ensures the right smoke point, flavor and fragrance. Gnocco fritto is already mentioned in a 17th-century Italian treatise on cooking.
Steps
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1
Done
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To prepare gnocco fritto, gather the flour with the salt, sparkling mineral water, lard and baking soda in a bowl. Knead everything until you get a well-bound mixture that has become smooth and elastic. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes. |
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2
Done
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Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on the pastry board, bringing the dough to a thickness of about 4 to 5 mm. Using a pastry cutter, cut out many rectangles or rhombuses. |
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3
Done
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Fry them, a few at a time, in a saucepan with plenty of lard, turning them on both sides until they are well puffed. Drain them with a slotted spoon and let them dry briefly on kitchen paper. Then serve the gnocco fritto piping hot with cold meats and cheeses. |
