Hot food: gnocco fritto

What is it?

Light, crisp little pillows of Italian pizza dough dating from mediaeval medieval times, gnocchi fritto fritti is traditionally eaten in the hand, often stuffed with prosciutto and/or a slice of cheese. Originally from Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, it is known in Bologna as crescentina, in Parma as torta fritta and in Ferrara as pinzino.

Where is it?

At the excellent Eightysix restaurant in Canberra, chef and co-owner Gus Armstrong serves the crisp yeasty little breads with rich, creamy burrata (cream-filled mozzarella) and bottargo (shaved, dried mullet roe). "Gnocco fritto is the easiest thing ever," he says encouragingly. "Flour, dried yeast, milk, salt, butter. Rest it, roll it out, fry it!"

At Melbourne's ZaZa's Cucina, chef Dario D'Agostino insists on making his gnocco fritto with finely milled Italian "doppio zero" (00) grade flour. He then fries them in lard to serve with salumi or a vegetarian degustazione. He even uses the same dough to make gnocco fritto for dessert. "But instead of sea salt and herbs, we baste them with cinnamon, sugar and vanilla," he says, "and serve them with Nutella."

Why do I care?

Because it's like magic when a little square of dough hits the hot oil and proudly puffs up into a crisp, golden pillow.

Can I do it at home?

Yes, it's pretty much the same as making your own pizza dough.

Gnocco fritto

Serve with prosciutto, mortadella, salami or bresaola, and maybe some pickles, olives, mozzarella and wine.

150ml milk

7g dried yeast

250g plain flour

1 tbsp lard or butter, softened

olive or vegetable oil for deep-frying

200g finely sliced salumi or cold meats

1. Heat the milk in a small pan until just lukewarm. Remove from the heat and whisk in the yeast. Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the milk and yeast, add the lard or butter and a good pinch of sea salt, and work the milk through the flour with your hands until you have a soft dough. Knead for three minutes until smooth, then shape into a ball and set aside in a warm place, in a bowl covered by a cloth, for 2 to 3 two to three hours or until doubled in size.

2. Divide the dough in two and roll out each ball as finely as you can on a floured bench. Cut into 6 cmsix centimetre squares with a ravioli cutter.

3. Heat the oil to 180C, and fry several gnocchi at a time until puffed and golden. Drain well and serve while still warm.

Makes 24

Sourcing

VIC

Za Za's Cucina, shop 10, 53 Coppin Street, Richmond, 03 9421 6221

ACT

Eightysix, Mode 3 Building, Elouera Street, Braddon, ACT 02 6161 8686