Gnocco Fritto and Italian Street Food

Italian Street Food: Recipes from Italy’s Bars and Hidden Laneways, written by Paola Bacchia, features an incredible collection of favorite regional snacks perfect for any time of day. A few highlights include Polpettine di Melanzane (Eggplant Polpettine), Cozze Fritte (Crumbed Mussels), Rosette di Pane (Rosetta Bread Rolls), Pardule (Sardinian Ricotta Cakes), and Gelato di Ricotta e Limone (Ricotta and Lemon Ice Cream). I will also be sharing her recipe for Gnocco Fritto following the review.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Smith Street Books in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Paola Bacchia

Paola Bacchia was born and is currently based in Melbourne, Australia. Her parents moved to Melbourne from northeast Italy in 1950. She developed Italy on my Mind in 2011 as a way to share her recipes and stories with others.

Paola runs a cooking school online (and soon in person) and hosts food and wine tours in Puglia and Trieste. She is also the author of Istria: Recipes and Stories from the Hidden Heart of Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia and Adriatico: Recipes and Stories from Italy’s Adriatic Coast.

Italian Street Food

Italian Street Food begins with a brief history on the street food of Italy and the culture surrounding it from Pompeii to present day traditions.

In the making of this book, Paola traveled throughout Italy in 2015 and spent three weeks eating, talking to vendors, and making notes to bring those flavors to the home kitchen. She focuses on “recipes which tell a story and stem from traditions, adapted for home cooking and using ingredients that are readily available.” For those new to Italian cooking, there is even a section on essential ingredients to really help capture those flavors.

Chapters are divided according to course: Il Barista: Pizza & Crostini, Il Friggitore di Strada: Fried Savoury Snacks, Lo Snackista: Panini, Il Poliparo: Fish & Seafood, Il Porchettaio: Meat, Il Fornaio: Breads & Baked Goods, Il Pasticciere: Sweet Treats, Il Gelataio: Ice Creams & Sorbets, and La Nonna: Sauces & Basics.

Paola also provides the beautiful photography. Most of the recipes are accompanied by a half to full-page photo of the finished dish. Across the pages, you will also find photos of the markets and people behind the food.

Measurements are listed in Metric and US Customary. Titles are written in Italian with the English in smaller print. Each recipe has a headnote with background information, inspiration, serving size, helpful tips, and menu ideas.

Gnocco Fritto

While first reading through Italian Street Food, I was particularly drawn to all the difference ways to fry and serve bread. I now have so many on my list to try, but started with Gnocco Fritto.

Not to be confused with the potato-based gnocchi, Paola first cam across these Gnocco Fritto (Fried Bread Squares) while in Bologna. To form, a yeast-based dough is rolled into a thin sheet, cut into rectangles or triangles, and fried until puffed and golden.

They are best eaten the day they are made, warm or cool, along with slices of prosciutto or salame.

Traditionally, strutto (pork fat) is incorporated in the dough and used for the deep-frying. Paola has put together this recipe with butter in the dough and grapeseed, peanut, or sunflower oil for cooking.

This recipe uses instant yeast. If substituting with active dry yeast, add to the lukewarm water and allow to sit until frothy, 5-10 minutes, first to activate before mixing into the dough.

Heat the oil to 190˚C (375˚F) before adding the pieces of dough. To test the temperature, you can add a small scrap of the dough. If it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready.

Only add enough pieces to fry in a single layer. Take care not to overcrowd the pan.

I cut half of the dough into rectangles and the other half into triangles for a bit of variety.

Other Dishes

I also made Pizzette con Pomodoro e Mozzarella (Tomato & Mozzarella Pizzette), Luganega con Aceto (Pork Sausage Bites), Tigelle (Pan-Cooked Flat Bread), and Affogato con Cioccolata Calda (Hot Chocolate with Ice Cream).

The Pizzette con Pomodoro e Mozzarella (Tomato & Mozzarella Pizzette) was a favorite with the kids. Thin rounds of homemade dough are baked until golden with a seasoned tomato and mozzarella topping. Other options in the book include Palate e Cipolle (Potato & Onion), Gorgonzola e Funghi (Gorgonzola & Mushroom), and more.

The Luganega con Aceto (Pork Sausage Bites) was a recommended addition by Paola’s cousin Edda in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and I am so so glad it was included. This easy and flavor-packed recipe comes together quickly with only four ingredients. Bite-sized pieces of pork sausage are cooked in a mixture of red wine and balsamic vinegar along with a splash of olive oil. Serve simply with skewers or pair with polenta.

Traditionally, Tigelle (Crescentina, Crescenza) are made in a special press, but Paola put together this recipe with simply a nonstick frying pan. The yeast-based dough is cut into circles and cooked on each side until golden. Pair with prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella or lardo and shaved Parmesan.

The Affogato con Cioccolata Calda (Hot Chocolate with Ice Cream) was such a fun recipe to end a fantastic chapter filled with gelato and sorbet flavors. It also comes together easily for quite the comforting treat. Thickened hot chocolate is topped with a scoop of favorite ice cream (we went with vanilla bean) immediately before serving.

Italian Street Food is a wonderful option for those looking for a variety of both savory and sweet Italian treats. Bakers will especially love the abundance of breads, fried dough, and pastries.

Most of the ingredients are readily available in larger American supermarkets. A few items that may require further searching include caperberries, specialty cheese, chicory leaves, chickpea flour, black truffle oil, currants, fresh seafood, golden raisins, pork belly, fine semolina, orange blossom water, saffron, and star anise.

Gnocco Fritto Recipe

Excerpt from Italian Street Food

Print Pin

5 from 4 votes

Gnocco Fritto

A recipe for Gnocco Fritto from the cookbook, Italian Street Food! These rectangles or triangles of dough are fried until puffed and golden.

Course Bread

Cuisine Italian

Keyword bread, fried, Italian, Italy

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 15 -20 Fried Bread Squares

Ingredients

• 300 grams (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 30 grams (1 ounce) cold unsalted butter diced
• 2 teaspoons instant dried yeast
• 150 milliliters (5 fluid ounces) tepid water 105-115˚F (40-46˚C)
• 1 teaspoon salt scant
• Grapeseed, peanut or sunflower oil for frying
• Sliced prosciutto or salame to serve

Instructions

• Tip the flour onto a clean work surface and make a little well in the centre.
• Place the butter in the well and work it into the flour with your fingertips. Sprinkle over the yeast and pour in the water, a little at a time, incorporating it as you go.
• Finally, sprinkle over the salt and combine well. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, by which time it should be smooth, soft and elastic. Alternatively, you can make the dough using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment on low speed.
• Transfer the dough to a medium-sized bowl, cover with an upturned plate and set aside to rest in a warm draught-free place for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
• Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a 3-4 millimeter (1/4 inch) thick rectangle.
• Using a fluted pastry cutter, cut out 8 centimeter x 10 centimeter (3 1/4 inch x 4 inch) rectangles. You can also cut triangles or diamonds if you like.
• Heat 3-4 centimeters (1 1/4-1 1/2 inches) of oil in a heavy-based saucepan (or use a deep-fryer) to 190˚C (375˚F). Test the heat of the oil by dropping in some pastry scraps. If they sizzle straightaway, the oil is ready.
• Carefully drop in 1-2 'gnocchi' (depending on the size of your pan). They will take 30-40 seconds to cook on each side and will puff up quite a bit. When one side is golden, flip over and cook the other side.
• Drain on kitchen towel and eat warm or cool, served with slices of prosciutto or salame.
• These are best eaten on the day they are made.