Gnocco fritto

Method

1. 1 Knead the flour with milk, yeast, salt, and lard until the dough is smooth and elastic.
2. 2 Let the dough rise for 1 hour; the lard in the dough is what makes the bread puff up and have a hollow center.
3. 3 Roll the dough thinly, about three millimeters thick, then cut it into diamond shapes.
4. 4 Deep-fry in very hot oil; the cakes will puff up immediately. Turn them over once to ensure even browning.
5. 5 Remove from the oil, drain, and serve hot with a topping of raw prosciutto ham.

With an appliance

• Air fryer 50 min

  Replace step 4: spray oil and then brush a very thin layer of lard onto both sides of the dough, fry in an air fryer at 200 degrees for 7 minutes, flipping at the 4th minute; the pastry will be less porous than the deep-fried version but will still be puffy and golden brown around the edges.