GRISPELLE DI PATATE, AND: THE BEGINNING OF A LOVE STORY

Steaming hot and golden brown; pleasantly crisp on the outside, creamy and pillowy, with a gentle chew on the inside - potato clouds in a crispy coat!

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I am talking about Grispelle, also known as Zeppole di Patate or Curichi, Cururichi, and Cuddurieddi in local dialect, a kind of yeasted Calabrian potato doughnut, only better!

But more about those later! Let's first talk about that love story...

It's August 2016. We had followed our friends' invitation to Calabria. It was my first time, and I was really looking forward to it. Little did I know, how deeply I would fall in love with this beautiful region of Italy, and the influence this visit would have on our life in years to come. 

Calabria is said to be the 'Undiscovered South' of Italy. Situated at the southernmost tip of the boot, kicking Sicily with its big toe, it is a region that has managed to preserve its natural beauty. A land of contrast and diversity: crystal-clear, turquoise sea waters; unspoilt coastlines free from large hotel chains and over-tourism; kilometres of sandy beaches and old fishing villages. Nature parks, peaks and plateaus. Lush green hills, lined with ancient hillside villages, churches, castles and monasteries; and olive and citrus trees everywhere, looking like big green fluffy sheep in the distance.

 

During seven days of vacation, mostly spent on kite surfing (husband, not me) and beach laziness (mostly me), we were only able to explore a small part of this fascinating region with its rich history and culture - but just enough, to fall in love with it!

On the flight back to Brussels, bellies bursting, suitcases packed with Calabrian delicacies, and the sun and big smiles in our faces, we had only one resolution: to return soon.

And we did. We went back the next year, the year after that, and every year thereafter, until in 2020 we moved to a small seaside town along the cost of the Tyrrhenian sea.

And here I am, five years later: it's early February, I'm sitting outside in the warm sun, typing this post - happy, and still 'innamorata della bella Calabria' - in love with beautiful Calabria.

Now back to the Grispelle.

During our first visit in 2016 we were invited several times by our friends' mother, La Signora Giuliana, to visit their family residence in Conflenti, a hillside town in the Catanzaro province. La Signora is an outstanding cook, delightful host, and embodies the quintessential Italian Signora: beautiful, strong, entertaining, with a sharp sense of humour, and countless stories to share - I just wish my Italian was better.

One day, la Signora organized for two local ladies of Conflenti to come to the villa and make Grispelle. And best of all, I was allowed to watch and help. With language often a barrier, food has always been a means of communication for me, so I was really excited to join in with the family, rolling and shaping, while listening to them chatting away and laughing.

Grispelle are a Calabrian delicay, typically reserved for Christmas. However, our friends's family has a tradition of preparing them at the end of the holiday season, just before all the family head back home - and we were just lucky enough to be there!

The main ingredients of these irresistible tear-drop shaped doughnuts are yeast dough and mashed potatoes. But not ordinary potatoes. Cultivated in the Calabrian mountains, they are exceptionally flavourful and a key ingredient in this recipe. Their beautiful flavour really comes through with every bite.

One of the ladies had prepared a dough the previous day, the long fermentation for additional flavour, I guess. To this pre-dough she added boiled, pureed potatoes, along with more yeast, flour and water, then kneaded it into an enormous, soft, and pillowy dough.

The finished dough was divided into smaller portions, that we first rolled into ropes, and then formed into tear drop shapes. In no time we had made over a hundred, or so I counted!

The Grispelle were left to rise under heavy sheets and blankets, which prevented them from drying out, and protected them from the onset of the afternoon chill in the mountains.

After nearly doubling in size, they were deep-fried in olive oil, emerging a few minutes later hot and golden-brown, crispy on the outside, and pillowy-soft and delicious on the inside.

As the rest of the family and guests started to arrive from the beach, we gathered around the fire-pit for an Aperitivo: a glass of Prosecco in one hand, the steaming hot Grispelle, wrapped in napkins, in the other. On tasting my third (of five), my head was spinning with possibilities... sweet with honey or cinnamon sugar to hot coffee for breakfast; savoury with scrambled eggs and bacon for lunch; with smoked salmon and horseradish cream for dinner. In Calabria, Grispelle are also sometimes filled with anchovies or N'duja, the famous chilli-spiced spreadable sausage, for an extra kick.

Back in Brussels, I made them immediately. I had tried to keep up with the quantities and timings in Conflenti, but of course it was impossible, especially in Italian; so, the true Grispelle secret remains in Conflenti.

However, I'm quite pleased with my version. I made a few necessary adjustments: in the absence of those flavourful Calabrian potatoes, I added a pinch of nutmeg to mine. Then I made half filled with anchovies, the other half plain, half of which, I rolled in granulated sugar after frying - lunch and dessert in one - voilà!

The Grispelle are at their best hot and fresh from the frying pan, as they loose their crispness and lovely texture when cold or reheated - not that this stopped us from eating them for the next two days.

LINK1

HOW TO MAKE

CRISPELLE DI PATATE, my way - 3-ways... 

Jump to:  TEXT RECIPE

Recipe based on the Grispelle made at the villa of Signora Giuliana in Conflenti in August 2016... as watched, learnt, helped, and eaten.

INGREDIENTS:

For approximately 35 Grispelle (raw: ca. 10 cm diameter, ca. 50-70 g weight)

Day 1: Pre-Dough

• 250 g '00' flour (I used '00' Pizza flour)
• 12 g fresh yeast
• 200 ml lukewarm water

Day 2: Main Dough

• 1kg potatoes (Yukon, Russet, or ones with yellow or red skin that do not absorb a lot of water during cooking - I used Nicola that I had at home)
• 250 g '00' flour (I used '00' Pizza flour)
• 12 g fresh yeast
• 150 ml lukewarm water (quantity may vary slightly, depending on the flour and potatoes used)
• freshly ground nutmeg
• fine sea salt
• vegetable oil for frying
• optional: 2 tins of anchovies for Anchovies Grispelle and/or golden caster sugar/cinnamon for sweet Grispelle

Equipment: large pot, potato ricer, frying pot, kitchen paper for draining

DIRECTIONS:

Day 1:

Prepare the pre-dough:

1  Sift 250 g '00' flour into a bowl and make a well.
2  Warm 200 ml water, then pour about 100 ml into the well.
3  Crumble 12 g fresh yeast into the water and stir until dissolved, thereby adding a bit of flour from the side.
4  Leave to rest for about 30 minutes or until the yeast starts to show bubbles (depending on the temperature in your kitchen).
5  Add the remaining 100 ml water (or as much as needed, depending on the flour used) and bring together into a rough, shaggy dough.
6  Cover the dough with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and leave to ferment overnight.

Day 2:

1  Boil the potatoes: The next day, wash 1kg potatoes and put them whole and unpeeled into a big pot. Cover with plenty of cold water, app. 3-4 cm higher than the level of the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and boil gently until soft for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. When the potatoes are done, you should be able to pierce them with a knife, but they should also easily fall off the knife. Drain the potatoes, then set them aside until they are cool enough to handle.

2  Pass the potatoes through a ricer and season: Pass the warm potatoes through a potato ricer or food mill with a medium blade into a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and nutmeg.

3  Prepare the main dough: Dissolve 12 g of yeast in app. 30 ml warm water and add it to the potatoes. Add the pre-dough from Day 1 and the remaining 120 ml of warm water (or as much as needed, according to the flour and potatoes used) to the bowl and mix all ingredients well with a wooden spoon into a dough.

Transfer the dough to a well floured-work surface and knead it for about 10 minutes, or until the dough is soft and elastic.Depending on the flour and potatoes used, you might have to add more flour or water, a little at a time, during kneading.

At this point, if you are making different-flavoured Grispelle, divide the dough with a bench scraper or large knife.

4  Shape the Grispelle: Cover a large surface with a well-floured tablecloth or kitchen towels.

For classic Grispelle: lightly flour a work surface. Cut a long piece off the dough, roll it into a thick sausage, then cut the sausage into smaller pieces. Pinch the sticky cut surfaces together, then roll the pieces into thin sausage. Shape the dough sausages into a ring or teardrop shape, overlap the ends and gently press them together. Place the rings with sufficient distance on the prepared surface. Repeat with the remaining dough.

For Anchovies Grispelle: Put 2 tins of anchovies into a sieve and drain off the oil. Cut them into small pieces. Flatten the second part of the dough into a long rectangle, then spread the anchovies evenly out on top. Roll the dough up from the long side into a thick sausage. Cut smaller rounds off the dough roll, and proceed as above, pushing any anchovies that are oozing out back inside the dough and pinching the sticky sides together before rolling into a sausage. Place the anchovy dough rings onto the prepared surface, keeping them on one side to be able to tell them apart from the plain Grispelle.

5  Leave the Grispelle to double in size: Dust the Grispelle well with flour, then cover them with another tablecloth, to prevent them from drying out. Leave to almost double in size.

6  Deep-fry the Grispelle: Add the oil to a large frying pan: The oil should be just deep enough so that the Grispelle can swim in the oil. Heat the oil to 160-180°C/320-360°F. It's best to measure the temperature with a thermometer, but if none at hand, insert a wooden spoon into the oil - when sufficiently hot, there should be bubbles showing on the spoon.

Gently lower the Grispelle into the hot oil, a small batch at a time, and fry them for about 2-3 minutes until they are golden brown. Turn them over and fry them for another 2-3 minutes. Lift the Grispelle out of the oil and place them on a couple of sheets of kitchen paper to drain off any excess fat. Repeat with the remaining Grispelle.

7  Optional: Coat the sweet Grispelle with sugar: dip the fried and drained Grispelle whilst still hot into crystallised sugar (add cinnamon, if you like) and coat them evenly.

8  Serve: Serve immediately and hot.

LINK2

TEXT RECIPE

CRISPELLE DI PATATE, my way - 3-ways... 

Jump to: PICTURE RECIPE  

Recipe based on the Grispelle made at the villa of Signora Giuliana in Conflenti in August 2016... as watched, learnt, helped, and eaten.

INGREDIENTS:

For approximately 35 Grispelle (raw: ca. 10 cm diameter, ca. 50-70 g weight)

Day 1: Pre-Dough

• 250 g '00' flour (I used '00' Pizza flour)
• 12 g fresh yeast
• 200 ml lukewarm water

Day 2: Main Dough

• 1kg potatoes (Yukon, Russet, or ones with yellow or red skin that do not absorb a lot of water during cooking - I used Nicola that I had at home)
• 250 g '00' flour (I used '00' Pizza flour)
• 12 g fresh yeast
• 150 ml lukewarm water (quantity may vary slightly, depending on the flour and potatoes used)
• freshly ground nutmeg
• fine sea salt
• vegetable oil for frying
• optional: 2 tins of anchovies for Anchovies Grispelle and/or golden caster sugar/cinnamon for sweet Grispelle

Equipment: large pot, potato ricer, frying pot, kitchen paper for draining

DIRECTIONS:

Day 1:

Prepare the pre-dough:

1. Sift 250 g '00' flour into a bowl and make a well.
   
2. Warm 200 ml water, then pour about 100 ml into the well.
   
3. Crumble 12 g fresh yeast into the water and stir until dissolved, thereby adding a bit of flour from the side.
   
4. Leave to rest for about 30 minutes or until the yeast starts to show bubbles (depending on the temperature in your kitchen).
   
5. Add the remaining 100 ml water (or as much as needed, depending on the flour used) and bring together into a rough, shaggy dough.
   
6. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and leave to ferment overnight.

Day 2:

1. Boil the potatoes: The next day, wash 1kg potatoes and put them whole and unpeeled into a big pot. Cover with plenty of cold water, app. 3-4 cm higher than the level of the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and boil gently until soft for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. When the potatoes are done, you should be able to pierce them with a knife, but they should also easily fall off the knife. Drain the potatoes, then set them aside until they are cool enough to handle.
   
   
2. Pass the potatoes through a ricer and season: Pass the warm potatoes through a potato ricer or food mill with a medium blade into a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and nutmeg.
   
   
3. Prepare the main dough: Dissolve 12 g of yeast in app. 30 ml warm water and add it to the potatoes. Add the pre-dough from Day 1 and the remaining 120 ml of warm water (or as much as needed, according to the flour and potatoes used) to the bowl and mix all ingredients well with a wooden spoon into a dough.
   
   
4. Transfer the dough to a well floured-work surface and knead it for about 10 minutes, or until the dough is soft and elastic.
   
   
5. Depending on the flour and potatoes used, you might have to add more flour or water, a little at a time, during kneading.
   
   
6. At this point, if you are making different-flavoured Grispelle, divide the dough with a bench scraper or large knife.
   
   
7. Shape the Grispelle: Cover a large surface with a well-floured tablecloth or kitchen towels.
   
   
8. For classic Grispelle: lightly flour a work surface. Cut a long piece off the dough, roll it into a thick sausage, then cut the sausage into smaller pieces. Pinch the sticky cut surfaces together, then roll the pieces into thin sausage. Shape the dough sausages into a ring or teardrop shape, overlap the ends and gently press them together. Place the rings with sufficient distance on the prepared surface. Repeat with the remaining dough.
   
   
9. For Anchovies Grispelle: Put 2 tins of anchovies into a sieve and drain off the oil. Cut them into small pieces. Flatten the second part of the dough into a long rectangle, then spread the anchovies evenly out on top. Roll the dough up from the long side into a thick sausage. Cut smaller rounds off the dough roll, and proceed as above, pushing any anchovies that are oozing out back inside the dough and pinching the sticky sides together before rolling into a sausage. Place the anchovy dough rings onto the prepared surface, keeping them on one side to be able to tell them apart from the plain Grispelle.
   
   
10. Leave the Grispelle to double in size: Dust the Grispelle well with flour, then cover them with another tablecloth, to prevent them from drying out. Leave to almost double in size.
    
    
11. Deep-fry the Grispelle: Add the oil to a large frying pan: The oil should be just deep enough so that the Grispelle can swim in the oil. Heat the oil to 160-180°C/320-360°F. It's best to measure the temperature with a thermometer, but if none at hand, insert a wooden spoon into the oil - when sufficiently hot, there should be bubbles showing on the spoon.
    
    
12. Gently lower the Grispelle into the hot oil, a small batch at a time, and fry them for about 2-3 minutes until they are golden brown. Turn them over and fry them for another 2-3 minutes. Lift the Grispelle out of the oil and place them on a couple of sheets of kitchen paper to drain off any excess fat. Repeat with the remaining Grispelle.
    
    
13. Optional: Coat the sweet Grispelle with sugar: dip the fried and drained Grispelle whilst still hot into crystallised sugar (add cinnamon, if you like) and coat them evenly.
    
    
14. Serve: Serve immediately and hot.