When I was in Parma, I remember eating delicious fried bread called torta fritta with mortadella, parma ham, and salami as a starter. It was a huge amount of food before I also indulged in the tortelli di zucca (pumpkin pasta). This recipe for gnocco fritto, another name for the torta fritta, is easy to make and the fried dough will last for a few days in an airtight container. It’s originally from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, although it can be found in other regions.
Ingredients
350 g plain flour
150 ml milk
1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
First, warm the milk in a mixing bowl and gently stir in the yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Next, add the flour, olive and salt to the bowl. Knead the dough with your hands for about 10 minutes, until the dough is uniform.
Form a loose ball with the lightly floured dough, cover with a tea towel and let rise at room temperature for about 1 hour.
After the dough has risen, place it on a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough gently, then separate into two equal parts. Cover half of the dough while you work with the first piece.
In a saucepan, heat the oil for frying over medium high heat. Then roll the dough out to about ½ cm thick. Use a cutter wheel to cut rectangles of dough about 6 cm square. Fry a few pieces at a time on both sides until puffed and lightly browned. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat the frying until both pieces of dough are done.
Finally, serve the gnocco fritto hot accompanied by salami, mortadella and/or soft cheese.
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