Coccoli – A Traditional Tuscan Recipe

Bread dough dumplings

Coccoli is a traditional Tuscan appetiser made up of fried dough balls. The dough is made with flour, yeast, water, and occasionally milk or olive oil. The dough is formed into small balls and fried until golden brown. Coccoli is typically served as an antipasto (appetizer) with various cured meats, cheeses, and spreads.

Wrapping a slice of prosciutto around each ball of fried dough and serving it with a side of stracchino cheese, a soft and creamy cheese typical of the Emilia-Romagna region, is one popular way to serve coccoli. Coccoli is a simple and delicious snack that is popular throughout Tuscany and can be found in many local trattorias and restaurants.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 400 g flour
• 25 g yeast
• 250 ml full cream milk
• a pinch of salt
• frying oil (sun flower or peanut oil)

Preparation

Dissolve the yeast into the milk. Sift thee flour into a bowl, make a well in the middle and pour in the milk. Mix until you obtain quite a soft, sticky dough. If the dough is too dry, add a little milk. If it is
too wet, add a little flour. Cover the dough with a towel or cling film and let it rise in a warm place for a couple of hours. Heat up plenty of oil in a deep frypan (the temperature of the oil should be around 160°C). Pinch walnut size pieces from the dough and gently put them in the hot oil and cook until the dumplings are golden. Open one to see if the dumpling is cooked through. If not, you might
need to slightly lower the temperature of the oil. Once cooked, put the dumplings onto kitchen paper and serve piping hot sprinkled with salt and accompanied by stracchino cheese and/or sliced cold
meats (such as prosciutto, ham and salami).

Bread dough dumplings Coccoli is a traditional Tuscan appetiser made up of fried dough balls. The dough is made with flour, yeast, water, and occasionally milk or olive oil. The dough is formed into small balls and fried until golden brown. Coccoli is typically served as an antipasto (appetizer) with…

Bread dough dumplings Coccoli is a traditional Tuscan appetiser made up of fried dough balls. The dough is made with flour, yeast, water, and occasionally milk or olive oil. The dough is formed into small balls and fried until golden brown. Coccoli is typically served as an antipasto (appetizer) with…