Bread Puffs (Crespelle)
Tidbits...They are extremely light and saturate a minimal amount of oil. The whole recipe makes about 25 bread puffs. You can cut the recipe in half if you prefer. They are best served fresh and hot.
Ingredients
- Flour - 4 cups
- Yeast cake - 1 (3-5 oz. fresh or 1 oz dry)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 1 T
- Sparkling mineral water - 1 1/2 cups
- Milk - 1 cup warm
- Salt - 1 tsp.
- Peanut oil - 3 cups for deep frying
Instructions
- In a heavy duty mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine yeast milk and olive oil. Mix on low speed until yeast is dissolved.
- Add the mineral water, flour and salt and continue mixing on slow about 10 minutes until the dough is very smooth and elastic or you can mix all of these by hand adding the dry ingredients a little at a time.
- Knead on a lightly floured surface . Wrap the dough in a damp kitchen towel and let rest for 20-30 minutes.
- Divide dough into four smaller pieces and on a lightly floured surface roll out one until about ¼ inch thick.
- With a cookie cutter cut the dough into circles.
- Repeat with the other portions of dough.
- Heat the oil to about 350° and add the dough circles, do not crowd them; fry until they puff up and float to top. Turn them frequently so they brown evenly (about 3 min.) then drain on paper towels.
- Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve with pizza toppings or a piece of prosciutto or ham.
