If a 3 Michelin star chef offers you a sandwich, you better don’t tell him you don’t like sandwiches.
Luckily for me, I kept my mouth shut and now have a favorite sandwich, too: the Gnocco Fritto.
“I love gnocco fritto with mortadella more than anything else”.
Massimo Bottura
Photo: Sandra Weinacht/Inside Europe
Fried gnocco or gnocco fritto (sometimes also called torta fritta) is typical dish of Emilia Romagna and especially the area of Reggio Emilia and Modena. Traditionally it’s served with Italian salumi such as mortadella di Bologna, prosciutto di Parma, salame felino di Modena and culatello di Zibello — and a rather humble dish.
After eating this for breakfast during a way too short stay at his newly opened guesthouse Casa Maria Luigia (due a delayed flight and missed connection courtesy of American Airlines) this humble dish’s now not just Massimo Bottura’s favorite, but now also one of ours.
For more of Bottura’s favorite local foods from his home region of Emilia Romana, take a look here.
Buon Appetito.