Sciatt
Crisp buckwheat fritters enclosing molten Valtellina Casera cheese, served immediately over a bed of finely shredded chicory.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 495 kcal
Equipment
- •Deep heavy-bottomed pan
- •Spider skimmer or slotted spoon
- •Digital cooking thermometer
- •Mixing bowl
- •Whisk
- •Kitchen paper
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 495 kcal
- fat
- 30 g
- carbs
- 38 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 18 g
- calories
- 495 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Whisk the buckwheat flour, plain flour, and fine sea salt together in a large mixing bowl.
- 2
Pour in the grappa and ice-cold sparkling water gradually, whisking into a thick, smooth, lump-free batter.
- 3
Cover the batter and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- 4
Cut the trimmed Casera cheese into neat 1.5 cm cubes.
- 5
Heat the frying oil in a deep heavy pan to 175 degrees C.
- 6
Toss a few cheese cubes into the batter so they are completely coated.
- 7
Scoop out each cheese cube with a tablespoon of batter and drop it gently into the hot oil.
- 8
Fry in batches for two to three minutes, turning gently until deep golden and crisp.
- 9
Transfer the fried sciatt with a spider skimmer onto kitchen paper to drain briefly.
- 10
Toss the shredded chicory with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and a pinch of salt on a platter.
- 11
Pile the piping-hot sciatt onto the dressed chicory bed and serve immediately.
Chef's tips
Keep the sparkling water icy cold to create a light, crisp batter upon hitting the hot oil. Coat the cheese completely in batter before dropping into the oil to prevent molten cheese from leaking out. Fry in small batches so the oil temperature does not drop.
Ingredient substitutions
- Valtellina Casera DOP cheese → Bitto cheese, young Fontina, or mild semi-firm alpine cow's milk cheese
- grappa → dry white wine, apple brandy, or cold sparkling water
Storage
Sciatt must be eaten fresh from the fryer, as cold fritters lose their crispness and the cheese solidifies.
Reheating
If necessary, re-crisp in an oven heated to 200 degrees C for five minutes, though freshly fried is best.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cutting the cheese cubes too large, which causes the outside to burn before the centre melts.
- •Allowing the oil to drop below 170 degrees C, resulting in soggy, oil-logged fritters.
- •Leaving gaps in the batter coating, which allows the cheese to escape and burn in the hot fat.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Sciatt?
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