Frittatine di Pasta Napoletane (Neapolitan Pasta Fritters)

• 份量: 12 servings

食材

For the pasta & filling:

250 grams (9 oz) bucatini or spaghetti

3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion or shallot, minced (about 1/4 cup)

125 grams (4.5 oz) frozen peas

125 grams (4.5 oz) ham (prosciutto cotto), diced

125 grams (4.5 oz) cubed smoked provola cheese (or scamorza, smoked scamorza, fresh cow's milk mozzarella cubed & drained, sweet provolone, or supermarket mozzarella)

160 grams (6 oz) grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese, freshly grated

salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

For the béchamel:

50 grams (1.75 oz) butter

50 grams (1.75 oz) "00" or unbleached all-purpose flour

500 ml (2 cups) milk

freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

salt, to taste

fresh cracked black pepper (optional), to taste

For the batter:

200 ml (.85 cups) water or fizzy water, cold

100 grams (3.5 oz) unbleached all purpose or 00 flour

salt, to taste

fresh cracked black pepper, (optional), to taste

oil for frying

步驟

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt to taste once it comes to a boil.

While waiting for the water to heat, break the pasta into 4 segments. This is easily done by wrapping it in a kitchen towel and breaking it against the end of a table while holding the ends of the towel tightly.

Boil the pasta 3 minutes less than the time indicated on the package. Drain in a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Place the cold pasta in a large bowl and toss with a spoonful of oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the béchamel sauce. In a medium saucepan, add the butter and let it melt. Once it's melted, add the flour and stir with a whisk to combine and prevent lumps. Whisk the butter and flour together for a few minutes to cook out the raw taste of the flour. Next, add the milk all at once, whisking all the while to avoid lumps. Slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to avoid scorching. Once it's thickened enough to coat the back of the spoon, turn off the heat and season well with salt, pepper (if using), and freshly grated nutmeg to taste. Set aside. If you want to prevent a skin from forming, cover it with parchment or plastic wrap.

Heat a skillet over low heat. Add the onion or shallot and cook, uncovered, until translucent and tender. Next, add the peas with a small pinch of salt and 2-3 tablespoons of boiling water. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the peas are tender. Add water as necessary. This should take anywhere from 12-14 minutes. Add the ham and cook the mixture together, uncovered, for a few minutes to meld the flavors. Make sure that all of the water has evaporated. Check for seasoning. Let cool.

Next, mix the pea and ham mixture, grated cheese, and cubed cheese together with the pasta. Add a decent amount of freshly cracked black pepper. Lastly, add the béchamel sauce. Stir very well so that the pasta really melds with the béchamel. You can do this with a wooden spoon or in a Kitchen Aid with a paddle attachment. Taste for salt and pepper. Add more grated cheese if desired.

Place the pasta in a parchment-lined tray, casserole, or sheet tray to chill. Make sure that you have a height of at least 3 cm (1 1/4-1/2 inches). If you have an 18x27 cm (11x7 inch) pan, this is the perfect size. Top with another layer of parchment paper and press down firmly to create a very compact mixture. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour up to overnight.

Remove the pasta from the refrigerator. Lift it out of your pan with the parchment paper. Place on a cutting board. Cut the pasta mixture into rounds using an oiled cookie cutter. If you use a cookie cutter that is 8 cm (3 inches) in diameter, you should end up with 10 fritters. After you cut your first batch of rounds, simply use the scraps to make more rounds by pressing them firmly into the cookie cutter. You should have about 10 rounds.

Prepare the batter in a medium bowl. Add the cold water or fizzy water and salt to taste. Add pepper if desired. Slowly whisk in the flour until you have a lump-free mixture.

In a medium skillet place 2.5 cm (1 inch) of oil and bring to 170-180 C (325-350 F) using a kitchen thermometer. Once the oil is hot, place the fritters gently in the batter to coat, using a fork to dip them in the batter. Let excess batter drain and gently place the fritters in the oil. Don't overcrowd the pan. As your fritters cook, quickly and carefully baste them with the hot oil using a spoon to create a bubbly crust. Cook each side until golden, about 4-5 minutes per side. To check for doneness on the inside, take a wooden skewer and insert it into one of the frittatine. Carefully place it on your lip. If it is cold, you need to cook the inside more.

Drain the fritters on a paper towel and serve immediately. If you need to reheat them at a later time, place them in 180 C (350 F) oven for 10 minutes.

營養

• 卡路里: 200
• 總脂肪: 20 g