Ingredients
Calcioni Molisani**
Per la pasta ]
200 grams [about 7 ounces] farina bianca [white flour]
50 grams [about 1 2/3 ounces} strutto (o burro o margarina) [lard, butter or margarine]
1 uovo intero [1 whole egg]
succo di limone [lemon juice]
sale [salt]
Per il ripieno: [For the filling]
200 grams [7 ounces] ricotta
50 grams [about 1 2/3 ounces] prosciutto crudo, tagliato a dadini (cubed prosciutto)
50 grams [about 1 2/3 ounces] formaggio scamorza tagliato a dadini [Scamorza cheese, cubed]*
1 tuorlo d'uovo [1 egg yolk]
1 manciata prezzemolo tritato [handful chopped parsley]
sale [salt]
pepe [pepper]
Abbondante olio per friggere [plenty of oil for frying]
Approximate North American measurements
For the pastry crust
about 2 cups flour
about 1/4 cup lard, melted (then cooled)
1 extra large egg
Juice of 1 small lemon
For the filling
about 1 1/4 cups ricotta
about 1/4 cup prosciutto, diced
about 1/4 cup Scamorza cheese, diced (If unavailable, mozzarella or provolone can be used as substitutes)
1 egg yolk
about 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
about 1 teaspoon salt
about 1/4 teaspoon pepper
For deep frying
about 3 cups vegetable oil
*According to "Practically Edible," the web's biggest food encyclopaedia, substitutes for Scamorza cheese include mozzarella and provolone.
Directions
Italian text: Preparazione:
Amalgamate tutti gli ingredienti del ripieno in una terrina. Setacciate a fontana la farina sulla spianatoia, fate un incavo nel centro, mettete l'uovo, lo strutto, il sale e il succo di limone: impastate bene e stendete una sfoglia sottile. Distribute il ripieno a mucchietti distanzati su meta della pasta, ricopriteli con l'altra meta, premete bene tutt'attorno, poi ritagliate tanti dischi con uno stampino o con un cicchiere. friggete i'cacioni' in olio caldo e scolateli dorati da ambo le parti: servite.
English translation:
o In a bowl, mix all the pastry stuffing. [Put aside]
o On a wooden board, make a fountain with the sifted flour; make a well in the center and add egg, lard, salt and lemon juice. Mix well.
o Roll dough out into a thin sheet [about 1/8 inch thick].
o Spread the filling in piles, on half the rolled pasta sheet. [N.B. Some cooks might find the Italian directions too complicated. It might be easier to roll out the dough, cut out the rounds using a cookie cutter, about 2 to 3 inches, then placing the stuffing, about a teaspoon or two, on each bottom round, and then sealing the rounds with a fork.]
o Using a glass or stencil [or cookie cutter] cut out round discs. Seal.
o Fry the calcione in hot oil.
o Drain on both sides.
o Serve.
Notes
This recipe appears word for word on many Italian internet cooking sites, including: "www.travaricett.net," "www.formulauno1.it," "wwww.commenti-cibo.com," "www.frasi.net" and "htttp://dossier.net/ricette." If the frequency is any indication, this must be The recipe for "Calcioni Molisani." Similar recipes are called "calcioni di ricotta rustici" or "ricotta calcioni." Apparently, this recipe originates from the city of Campobasso, the capital of Molise.... Personally, the name of this recipe took me by surprise. All my life I assumed that "calcioni" were chickpea fritters and "fiadoni" were cheese-filled pastries (Was I wrong!). Apparently, fried cheese pastries can be found in a number of Southern regions, including Molise and Abruzzo. Most North American food writers describe "Calcioni Molisani" as round-shaped cheese pastries. However, images that show up on the web from Italian cooking sites don't collaborate this. Possibly, modern-day Italian cooks are experimenting and changing the traditional round-shaped form.... P.S. "Calcioni Molisani" are very similar to "Fiadoni con Formaggio," except the "calcioni Molisani" are fried while "fiadoni con formaggio" are baked. Also, "fiadoni con formaggio" are generally presented in a rather largish shape, and then sliced, while "calcioni Molisani" are made for individual servings. Photo: Mary Melfi. |
