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RECIPE

How to make cheesy cauliflower fritters, a south Italian street food

This simple veggie dish is a delicious idea for a snack, antipasto, or a light meal served with salad. Food writer Silvana Lanzetta shows us how it's done.

Published: 12 July 2019 12:43 CEST
How to make cheesy cauliflower fritters, a south Italian street food
Photo: DepositPhotos

Cauliflower pancakes (frittelle di cavolfiore) were my father’s favourite, and I wholeheartedly agree with him. They're simple, quick and delicious. It's obviously a peasant dish, but one that could be served at a party today.

A typical street food from Southern Italy, we call them frittelle or zeppole. You can find all sorts: with seaweed, pumpkin flowers, whitebait… you name it, we make it! And we love them.

Children love them, because of their mild taste. Adults love them, because they're delicious. And this way, everyone eats more veggies!

READ ALSO: How to make real Italian bruschetta with tomatoes and basil

Ingredients for four portions:

1 medium cauliflower

2 eggs

100g of grated parmesan

100g of cubed or grated smoked cheese

150ml of milk

2-3 tbsps of plain flour

salt and pepper to taste

Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:

1. To prepare your cauliflower pancakes, start by removing the leaves from the cauliflower, then cut it in small florets and wash it thoroughly under running water.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Cook the cauliflower until soft. Drain it.

3. With a fork, mash the florets roughly. If you preferring a softer pancake, you can puree it in a food processor.

4, Tip it into a large bowl. Stir in the eggs, grated cheese, cubed cheese, and milk. Season to taste.

5. Sift in the flour little by little, stirring well as you add it. You want a soft batter, but not too runny.

6. Heat some vegetable oil in the pan. Be sure that it’s really hot. Spoon the batter into the pan, creating several small pancakes. Fry for a couple of minutes on each side until they are a bright golden colour. Set them on a tray lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.

Tip: Cauliflower pancakes are delicious both hot or cold. Serve them with a green salad, seasoned with extra-virgin olive oil and lemon.


Silvana Lanzetta. Photo: Private

Silvana Lanzetta was born into a family of pasta makers from Naples and spent 17 years as a part-time apprentice in her grandmother’s pasta factory. She specializes in making pasta entirely by hand and runs regular classes and workshops in London.

Find out more at her website, Pastartist.com, including this recipe and others.

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FOOD AND DRINK

Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

As well as its most famous cocktails, Italy has a long tradition of making refreshing aperitivo drinks without the alcohol.

Published: 11 April 2024 12:01 CEST
Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

Italy’s favourite aperitivo-hour cocktails are known far beyond the country’s borders, so their names will probably be familiar to you whether you drink them or not.

But if you’re in Italy and not drinking alcohol, you might find yourself stumped when it comes time to order your aperitivo at the bar.

The first time I found myself in this situation, there was no menu. The waiter instead rattled off a long list of all the soft drinks available, most of which I’d never heard of, and I just picked something I thought sounded nice.

Luckily it turns out that Italy has some great options for an aperitivo analcolico. As well as ‘virgin’ versions of well-known cocktails, there are bitters, sodas and other Italian-made soft drinks that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

They might not be quite as iconic as the Aperol Spritz, but they’re as thoroughly Italian – plus, effortlessly ordering one of these will make you look like a true local.

SanBittèr

San Pellegrino’s SanBittèr is one of the most famous non-alcoholic Italian drinks of all, with its highly-recognisable red packaging, often enjoyed in place of Campari cocktails because of its similar dark, ruby-red color.

This drink is carbonated with a slightly sweet, citrus flavor. The recipe is more complex than that of an orange or lemon soda, with notes of spice and herbs, making it ideal to pair with your aperitivo-hour snacks.

Crodino

Crodino looks a lot like an Aperol Spritz with its bright orange hue, and that’s not an accident: it’s said to have been created as a non-alcoholic alternative, and the zesty, slightly herbal taste is similar. It’s typically served the same way. in a round goblet glass over ice with a slice of orange: a Crodino Spritz.

The name comes from the town of Crodo in Piedmont, where it is still bottled today by the Campari group.

Chinotto

Citrusy Chinotto is an acquired taste for many, but it’s worth trying: it’s one of the classic Italian bitters and is said to have a long history, dating back to a recipe shared by Chinese sailors arriving on the Ligurian coast in the 1500s.

It may look a little like Coca Cola, but don’t let the appearance fool you.

(Photo by Eugene Gologursky /Getty Images via AFP)

Aranciata/Limonata

Aranciata is Italy’s version of an orange soda, but not as sugary, and it tastes like oranges. Its base is sparkling water with the addition of orange juice and sugar. There are various brands, but San Pellegrino’s is the most popular. It also sells a ‘bitter’ aranciata amaro, with even less sugar, more citrus tang and herbal notes, which might be more aperitivo-hour appropriate.

Limonata is, as you might guess, the Italian answer to lemonade. Again there are many versions out there but the fizzy San Pellegrino limonata is beloved for its strong, sweet-sour flavour and there’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer’s day.

Cedrata

Cedrata is one of Italy’s oldest and best-known non-alcoholic drinks. It’s a refreshing, carbonated drink made from a large citrus fruit called a cedro, grown in southern Italy. It’s far less bitter than a Chinotto, but not as sweet as limonata.

The main producer of Cedrata today is Tassoni, and this is what you’re likely to get if you order it at a bar.

Gingerino

This is harder to find than the other aperitivi on the list and is seen as decidedly retro, but it’s worth trying if you can track it down.

It’s another orange-coloured, sparkling drink which became popular in Italy in the 1970s and is still sold today, though you’re more likely to find it in the north-east, close to Venice, where it’s produced.

You may be expecting it to taste a lot like ginger beer, and there are similarities, but it has stronger citrus notes and more bitterness.

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