Fried Gnocco

The recipe for fried gnocco, which is a specialty from Emilia-Romagna, is quite simple and requires few ingredients. Here’s the recipe for preparing this tasty appetizer:

Ingredients

• 500 g of type 00 flour
• 200 ml of lukewarm water
• 25 g of fresh brewer’s yeast (or 7 g of dry brewer’s yeast)
• 50 g of lard or extra virgin olive oil
• 5 g of salt
• Oil for frying (preferably seed oil for a more neutral frying)

Preparation

1. Dissolve the brewer’s yeast in lukewarm water in a bowl.
2. In another large bowl, place the flour and make a well in the center.
3. Pour the dissolved yeast water into the center of the flour and start kneading, adding the lard and the salt.
4. Work the dough until it forms a smooth and elastic ball.
5. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it doubles in volume.
6. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1-1.5 cm.
7. Cut the dough into rectangles or diamonds using a pasta wheel cutter.
8. Fry the gnocchi a few at a time in hot oil until they puff up and become golden brown. The oil should be at a temperature of about 170-180 °C.
9. Drain the fried gnocchi on paper towels to remove excess oil.
10. Serve them hot, accompanied by cold cuts such as cured ham, salami or mortadella, and soft cheeses if desired.

Curiosity

Fried gnocco is called by many different names depending on the area of Emilia where it is found. For example, in Modena it is known as “gnocco fritto”, in Reggio Emilia as “crescentina” and in Parma as “torta fritta”.

For a truly Italian touch, you can prepare a platter of appetizers with typical cold cuts and cheeses from the Emilia-Romagna region to accompany the fried gnocco, for a true culinary experience of the Italian tradition!