Crescentine Fritte
Crescentina is a typical recipe from my region, Emilia Romagna, in Italy.
Depending on what side of the region you live in, you call them with different names, one of them is Gnocco Fritto.
The dough used for this recipe is very similar to bread or pizza dough so it's very easy to make!
I am one of those MANY people who loves fried food but I don't make it often, for obvious reasons...
I saw the Fried Food Contest and I thought it was the perfect excuse to fry something! :D
So here is one of my favorite fried foods: Crescentine Fritte! (fritte = fried in Italian)
You can either make them "empty" to eat with cold cuts or cheese, or fill them with ham and cheese (or whatever you want) before frying them.
I am going to show you how to make both versions...
Enjoy!
Depending on what side of the region you live in, you call them with different names, one of them is Gnocco Fritto.
The dough used for this recipe is very similar to bread or pizza dough so it's very easy to make!
I am one of those MANY people who loves fried food but I don't make it often, for obvious reasons...
I saw the Fried Food Contest and I thought it was the perfect excuse to fry something! :D
So here is one of my favorite fried foods: Crescentine Fritte! (fritte = fried in Italian)
You can either make them "empty" to eat with cold cuts or cheese, or fill them with ham and cheese (or whatever you want) before frying them.
I am going to show you how to make both versions...
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 500 gr (2.17 cups) flour
- 25 gr (0.88 oz) yeast
- 15 gr (1 tbs) coarse salt
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) water
- 50 ml (1.69 oz) milk
- 70 ml (2.36 oz) liquid cream
- 1 tsp sugar
- enough lard or oil for frying
- ham
- slices of cheese
- ...or whatever you like!
First of all boil the water with salt until it melts.
Pour your salted water in a bowl and add milk and liquid cream then wait for it to cool down a little.
Now add yeast and sugar and melt it in the liquid, using your hands or a spoon.
I know it can be disgusting...but hands work much better than a spoon in this case! :D
Pour your salted water in a bowl and add milk and liquid cream then wait for it to cool down a little.
Now add yeast and sugar and melt it in the liquid, using your hands or a spoon.
I know it can be disgusting...but hands work much better than a spoon in this case! :D
Add flour to the liquid and mix everything.
You may need to add a little bit of water if you feel that your dough is too hard and dry.
Remember: it must be soft but not too sticky.
Keep mixing with your hands until your dough is smooth and homogeneous.
Put it in a bowl and cover it with a piece of cloth to keep it warm. Let it rest for about an hour.
You may need to add a little bit of water if you feel that your dough is too hard and dry.
Remember: it must be soft but not too sticky.
Keep mixing with your hands until your dough is smooth and homogeneous.
Put it in a bowl and cover it with a piece of cloth to keep it warm. Let it rest for about an hour.
After an hour your dough has leavened and is ready to be used...
Work with a little bit of dough at a time, so cut a piece of dough and cover the rest under a bowl.
Flatten that piece using a pasta machine or a rolling pin.
It has to be about 1 or 2 mm thick (0.07 inches).
The thicker it is, the softer it will be after you fry it. If you make it thinner, your crescentine will be crispier!
So this depends very much on your own taste!
Once you have flatten your dough, cut squares or rumbles our of it.
The empty ones are usually quite small, about 10x10cm (3.93 inches).
I made the other ones bigger so that I could fill them with ham and cheese.
In case you just want to make the empty crescentine, this is all you have to do so continue this way until you finish the dough, then go to Step 6.
Work with a little bit of dough at a time, so cut a piece of dough and cover the rest under a bowl.
Flatten that piece using a pasta machine or a rolling pin.
It has to be about 1 or 2 mm thick (0.07 inches).
The thicker it is, the softer it will be after you fry it. If you make it thinner, your crescentine will be crispier!
So this depends very much on your own taste!
Once you have flatten your dough, cut squares or rumbles our of it.
The empty ones are usually quite small, about 10x10cm (3.93 inches).
I made the other ones bigger so that I could fill them with ham and cheese.
In case you just want to make the empty crescentine, this is all you have to do so continue this way until you finish the dough, then go to Step 6.
To make stuffed crescentine, put some ham and a slice of cheese on a square of dough, making sure to leave a free "frame" all around it.
Now spread some water on the borders and lay another square on it to close it.
Push the borders with your fingers to make sure that it's closed.
Voilà your stuffed crescentina!
Keep making more using the rest of the dough.
I used half dough for the stuffed ones and half for the empty ones.
Now spread some water on the borders and lay another square on it to close it.
Push the borders with your fingers to make sure that it's closed.
Voilà your stuffed crescentina!
Keep making more using the rest of the dough.
I used half dough for the stuffed ones and half for the empty ones.
Heat oil or lard in a frying pan.
When the oil is hot, dip your first crescentina in it and let it cook on both sides until it swells and becomes orange, as you can see in the pictures.
Remove it from the pan and dry it from the exceeding oil...you can finally taste it now!!!
It will be very hot so be careful! :D
As you eat your crescentina, keep frying more.
Depending on how big your pan is, you can fry more at once!
When the oil is hot, dip your first crescentina in it and let it cook on both sides until it swells and becomes orange, as you can see in the pictures.
Remove it from the pan and dry it from the exceeding oil...you can finally taste it now!!!
It will be very hot so be careful! :D
As you eat your crescentina, keep frying more.
Depending on how big your pan is, you can fry more at once!