Name: Cheat’s gnocco fritto
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Vegetable oil, for deep-frying; 300 gm fresh pasta sheets, cut into 3.5cm x 10cm strips; Thinly sliced mortadella, to serve; Finely grated parmesan; ½ small fennel bulb, thinly sliced and tossed in lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil, plus finely chopped fronds to serve

These fried parcels of dough are an antipasti staple in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, where they’re served warm with assorted salumi and cheese.

Ingredients

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

300 gm fresh pasta sheets, cut into 3.5cm x 10cm strips

Thinly sliced mortadella, to serve

Finely grated parmesan

½ small fennel bulb, thinly sliced and tossed in lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil, plus finely chopped fronds to serve

Method

1.Preheat oil in a large saucepan to 190°C. Add pasta strips to oil in batches of 4-5 strips and deep-fry, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp (3-5 minutes; be careful, hot oil will spit). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels for 1 minute, then season to taste. Top with mortadella, parmesan and fennel, and serve warm.

Styling by Lisa Featherby

Styling by Lynsey Fryers