Trentino-Alto Adige Recipes
STRANGOLAPRETI

Strangolapreti

"Priest Chockers"

How to make the Strangolapreti:

Cook the spinach. Meanwhile chop the bread into a rough dice. Warm the milk till it simmers and pour onto the bread. The milk shouldn't submerge the bread but it's fine even if it looks you used a bit too much. The excess will be squeezed out.

Once the spinach are done squeeze them to remove as much water as possible, the more water you remove the less flour you'll need later. Most recipes finely chop the spinach at this point. I use a different procedure which IMO works better.

Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and add to the spinach. Use an immersion blender to finely puree the two. Add two pinches of salt.

Break the eggs in a bowl, stir together with a fork till mixed and add to the spinach mixture. Stir well.

Start adding the flour one tablespoon at a time. The dumpling batter will remain quite runny but once it starts to come off the bowl's walls it is likely ready. As a rough indication use six heaped ones last time. It is actually better to use slightly less flour than too much. The best way to test this is to try cooking one or two strangolapreti dumplings.

Have the sage butter (see below) and parmesan ready. Put a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a gentle boil.

To make the strangolapreti dumplings you'll need a teaspoon and a cup full of water beside the boiling water pot. Dip the tablespoon in the cold water, scoop up some dumpling batter and dump in the boiling water. Play around a bit till you get the the size you like. The strangolapreti will be ready once they float to the top, just like gnocchi.

Remove the Strangolapreti from the pot, carefully removing excess water and transfer to a bowl containing the sage butter. Stir, coating the strangolapreti with the butter and serve with plenty of grated parmesan. You can use about 2 scant tablespoon of butter and 3 tablespoon of grated parmesan for the amounts of strangolapreti given.

This recipe is adapted from Anneliese Kompatscher's La Cucina nelle Dolomiti

Serves 4

Italian recipes summary

BREAD, PIZZA and FOCACCIA
SAUCES and DRESSINGS
Appetizers: VEGETABLES
Appetizers: UOVA and FRITTATA
Appetizers: MEAT and CHEESE
Appetizers: FISH
First Courses: SOUPS
First Courses: DRIED PASTA
First Courses: FRESH PASTA
First Courses: STUFFED FRESH PASTA
First Courses: RICE, POLENTA and GNOCCHI
Main Courses: BEEF and VEAL
Main Courses: PORK, LAMB and GOAT
Main Courses: POULTRY and GAME
Main Courses: FISH
Main Courses: SNAILS, FROGS, INNARDS and more
SALADS and SIDE ORDERS
DESSERTS
ICE CREAM