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Gnocco Fritto is an easy 10-minute appetizer when made with the ultimate shortcut: puff pastry! These light and fluffy puff pillows are topped with olive oil, prosciutto and sea salt for heavenly bites.
Fried to golden brown perfection in a matter of seconds, this classic Italian dish is always a favorite.
Originally published June 15, 2015 and updated January 12, 2022 with new photos, tips and step by step details.
In my years of playing with food, I have found that a few simple ingredients often make the most memorable meals. Gnocco Fritto is no exception. It really couldn’t be more simple, yet is so light, fluffy and full of flavor!
Gnocco Fritto is made with just a few staple ingredients – a mixture of flour, water, and fat (lard, oil or butter), and salt. Combined into dough rolled out to a thin sheet, cut into rectangles and fried into little pillows.
To make this appetizer quick and easy, I use puff pastry rather than making it from scratch. Light, fluffy, golden pillows of pastry with a flaky exterior are topped with your favorite salumi or soft spreadable cheese.
This lightly fried, savory dough is the perfect way to enjoy your antipasto, but can also be enjoyed as a main dish!
Puff pastry pillows make a savory bed for antipasti. It takes just 10 minutes to make 24 of these heavenly pastries, making them perfect for entertaining! They are an incredible hors d’oeuvre, much like these delicious caramelized bacon skewers.
So many gnocco fritto recipes include a multitude of ingredients and 10+ steps. Not this one! Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Gnocco Fritto
- The easiest shortcut
- So flexible- top with anything you’d like
- Soft and yet perfectly flaky
- Ingredients you have in your freezer
Gnocco Fritto Ingredients
- Puff Pastry – I used Pepperidge Farm brand, which comes in packs of two in the freezer section of your grocery store. You will only need one sheet of puff pastry, thawed overnight, for this recipe. If you feel you want to use the whole package, simply double the recipe.
- Shortening or Olive Oil – Butter flavored shortening, lard or olive oil will be used to fry these little golden pillows of dough.
- Olive Oil – Extra Virgin olive oil works best. It’s lighter and fruitier in flavor.
- Prosciutto – the quintessential Italian product. Purchase from your local Italian market for the good stuff. Either Parma or San Daniele can be used.
- Sea Salt – Maldon flaky sea salt works best. The salt crystals are much larger, giving you an extra salty crunch!
Scaling up, down or substituting? You’ll love this printable Measurement Conversion Chart!
How to Make Gnocco Fritto
- Prepare or Thaw Puff Pastry
- Heat Shortening, Lard or Oil
- Cut Pastry into Squares or Rectangles
- Fry Pastry
- Serve or Top with Prosciutto, Olive Oil and Sea Salt
Variations
- In Tuscany, salami is often incorporated into the dough.
- Add fresh herbs to the dough before or after frying.
Topping Options
Take it beyond basic Prosciutto with any of the following options!
- Prosciutto di Parma
- Prosciutto San Daniele
- Tuscan Salami
- Culatello
- Mortadella
- Capacollo / capicola
- Guanciale
- Finocchiona
- Mascarpone
- Squacquerone
Tips
- Be patient with allowing your puff pastry to come to room temperature. It’s so much easier to work with!
- Use a wide slotted spoon to remove the cooked pillows from oil.
- Place on a plate lined with a paper towel to soak up any excess oil.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with your favorite creamy cheese
- Sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano
- Slather with butter and a little roasted garlic
- Top with a spoonful of Nutella. You won’t regret this.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does gnocco mean?
Translated into English, gnocco simply refers to type of dumpling – fried dough. Gnocchi is a similar concept given its pillowy shape and soft texture, but gnocchi is made of potatoes.
Dietary Considerations
- Vegetarian (when served without the meat)
- Nut Free
- Make it vegan with a butter-free puff pastry product from your local organic grocer.
How to Store
They are best served immediately because they are lightly fried.
- Room Temperature – these can be stored in an airtight container for up to two days (without the toppings) but will lose freshness and quality immediately after serving, because they are fried.
- Refrigerator – you can refrigerate your gnocco fritto for up to three days after frying, but they lose the soft, pillowy texture.
If you try this recipe, please come back to share using my 5 star rating in the comments below! Not only do I appreciate it, but I know readers do, too!
More Easy Italian Inspired Recipes
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Gnocco Frito
This shortcut Gnocco Frito is an easy 10-minute appetizer. These light and fluffy puff pillows are topped with olive oil, prosciutto and sea salt for heavenly bites. Fried to golden brown perfection in a matter of seconds!
Yield
Ingredients
- 1 sheet of puff pastry thawed
- 1 cup butter flavored shortening lard or olive oil
- good olive oil
- ¼ pound prosciutto sliced thin
- sea salt
To Make Dough from Scratch (instead of puff pastry)
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour
- ⅛ teasopon salt
Instructions
- Allow your puff pastry to thaw according to instruction on package.
- Meanwhile, heat shortening or oil over medium heat.
- Cut pastry into 24 rectangles.
- Drop 3 pieces of pastry into your oil at a time and allow to cook for 10 seconds. Flip with tongs and allow to cook another 10 seconds, or until puffy.
- Remove and place onto a cookie sheet lined with a paper towel.
- Brush with olive oil, top with prosciutto and sea salt.
Tips
Tips
- Be patient with allowing your puff pastry to come to room temperature. It’s so much easier to work with!
- Use a wide slotted spoon to remove the cooked pillows from oil.
- Place on a plate lined with a paper towel to soak up any excess oil.
Video
Nutrition Information
Calories: 171kcal (9%), Carbohydrates: 5g (2%), Protein: 1g (2%), Fat: 17g (26%), Saturated Fat: 4g (20%), Cholesterol: 3mg (1%), Sodium: 348mg (15%), Potassium: 16mg, Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 1g (1%), Calcium: 1mg, Iron: 1mg (6%)
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
Suzy says
I love using puff pastry and making easy recipes with it! This looks so simple and delicious!
Tanya Schroeder says
OMG, these really do look heavenly!