Gnocco Fritto

Golden, crispy and absolutely more-ish - nothing beats gnocco fritto. Perfect as a starter or appetizer, or for hosting aperitivo. Simply stuff with your favourite charcuterie and cheese and you're ready to wow your guests.

If there is one thing the Italian region of Emilia Romagna has mastered, is its doughs. From crispy, pan-fried piadine, to crespelle and here, gnocco fritto, some of the beast fried breads and flat breads are to be found in this region. Growing up, I was lucky enough to spend my summers with a handful friends from the region, who would make the journey to Liguria for their summer holidays. Their families would often host me and my parents and delight us with some of these typical dishes. Of them, gnocco fritto was always my favorite. Incredibly different to the 'gnocco' I ate in my region, boiled and covered in creamy pesto, gnocco fritto is a small rectangle of savoury dough, deep fried in hot oil until puffed up and golden. Once just cooled down, it gets cut open and stuffed with all sorts of charcuterie and cheese. I remember dozens of gnocco fritto being piled up onto wide serving plates and us kids fighting over them. Those plates would become empty in a matter of minutes.

So, when I was choosing the first recipe to make from Emilia Romagna, I just knew it had to be gnocco fritto. These little fried breads are perfect served as starters or appetizers when hosting family or friends, or - if you want togo full Italian - if you are having people over for aperitif one evening. They are very easy to make and a real crowd-pleaser. I truly cannot recommend them enough.

How to make the best gnocco fritto

• Choose your fat: traditionally, gnocco fritto contains a good amount of lard, and while you will find no nonna in Emilia Romagna suggesting any viable alternatives, the younger generations reassure me this can be substituted with butter or olive oil.

• Be generous with your oil: when frying, you want to fill a deep pan or saucepan with vegetable or sunflower oil, up to about half the volume of the pot. Then you'll need to wait for the oil to properly heat. If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, the best way to know if the oil is ready is to add a small piece of your dough to the oil: if it starts to sink, the oil isn't hot enough.

• Do not overcrowd the pan: I fried two or three gnocco fritto at a time, for 40-50 seconds on each side. Doing that ensure they were evenly golden and perfectly cooked.

Ingredients (makes about 17-20 pieces)

250g '00' flour

65ml lukewarm milk

65ml lukewarm water

50g softened butter (or lard or olive oil)

1/s tsp salt

1/4 tsp sugar

2g fast-action yeast

Method:

1. In a measuring jug, mix together your lukewarm milk and water, then add the sugar and yeast. Mix to combine and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. After a few minutes, when a slight foam has formed on top of the milk mixture, pour it slowly into the flour. Add the softened butter and mix until a dough forms. Cover with a tea towel or cling film and set aside to proof for 45 minutes.

3. Dust your worktop with some flour, then tip over your dough. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough flat to 1/2cm thickness. Using a wheel pastry cutter or knife cut the dough diagonally into 4cm-5cm large stripes. Then cut diagonally in the opposite direction so as to create diamond-shaped pieces of dough.

4. Fill a large deep-bottomed saucepan with a generous amount of sunflower oil or vegetable oil (I normally add enough to fill half the volume of the pan) and heat for a few minutes until you reach 175°C to 190°C (350°F to 375°F). If you don't have a kitchen themormeter, simply add a small chunk of dough to the oil: if it sinks, the oil is not hot enough.

5. When the oil is hot enough, add your gnocco fritto 2 or 3 at a time. They should start puffing up very soon. Fry them for about 45-50 secs on each side, or until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. When you're done frying, spinkle them generously with flaky sea salt.

6. Gnocco fritto are best enjoyed fresh straight after frying, stuffed with your favourite charcuterie and cheese.