DESCRIPTION

When I was a little girl, my mother used to take me with her to the supermarket for groceries, and the moment she put the sofficini in the cart, I was already beginning to wonder on which of the following days I would enjoy them. At dinner with my sister it was a challenge to see who could eat the most!

This plant-based recipe replicates the goodness of sofficini in the enjoyably filling and crispy breadcrumbs. They are a fried treat that can also be put in the oven for lighter cooking, suitable for those who want to lose weight and those who want to avoid fried foods. They come golden on the surface and with a rich heart of flavor.

I prepared two kinds:

• mozzarella and tomato;
• spinach and béchamel sauce

Both versions are delicious and I recommend that you prepare them on the same day so you can compare them and choose your favorite. Personally, I like the spinach one best, while my husband likes the tomato sauce one best. Now it’s your turn for the verdict!

It takes at least an hour and a half to prepare for the first time, because you need to get familiar with the dough, which is a bit peculiar, as flour has to be combined with vegetable milk and butter heated on the stove, then it has to be rolled out with a rolling pin and cupped with a glass or ring.

For original sofficini, you can choose your own fancy filling. Next time I will try my hand at two different versions: one with mushrooms, cream and peas, and the other with di radicchio, ricotta and walnuts. For the dough I used whole wheat flour, which is rich in fiber, flavor and makes a good texture, while for the breadcrumbs I used breadcrumbs with dried herbs.

Once fried, they can be eaten right away as soon as the temperature allows, to maximize their freshness and incredible crispness, or the next day, after heating them in a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil or in the oven for a few minutes.
Now let’s take a quick look at what is needed and the tips to do the job right!

PROCEDURE

1. We begin by preparing the sauce. Needless to explain how, the important thing is that it is restricted and not liquid. It is to be set aside to cool once ready.
2. Now we wash the fresh spinach (or use ready-made frozen spinach) and crush the garlic. Brown it in a nonstick skillet with a drizzle of oil and pour in the spinach, which will be ready once wilted. We add a pinch of salt, turn off the flame and add the bechamel.
3. Now we deal with the dough. In a small saucepan, we combine vegetable butter, vegetable milk, and salt and put on medium-low flame. Once hot, we add the flour and turn off the flame. We turn the mixture with a wooden spoon and transfer it to the lightly floured work surface.
   Beware that it is hot! We have to with our hands knead a few seconds as soon as the temperature allows us. Let it rest wrapped in plastic wrap about fifteen minutes.
4. We keep flour nearby to flour our work surface, retrieve rolling pin, an 11-12 cm ramekin, a small container with water to seal the edges of the sofficini, and approach a baking sheet lined with baking paper on which to place the sofficini.
   We prepare the batter in a container by combining water and flour with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming, and pour some of the spiced breadcrumbs into a deep dish. Good breadcrumbs want dry breadcrumbs, which should be tucked in as soon as the one in use is used up.
5. With a rolling pin, we roll the dough to about 2 mm, and with a pastry cutter we create circles. The dough in deficit is to be passed again with rolling pin until exhausted.
   Be sure to flour the work surface each time you pass the dough to the rolling pin, otherwise the dough will stick, or it will tear because it is thin.
6. Now let’s stuff the sofficini: I did half of one kind and half of the other.
   For tomato sofficini, place a spoonful of passata and a few cubes of vegetable filante in the center of each disc. Moisten half the circumference with water and fold the sofficini over on themselves, sealing the edges well.
   For spinach sofficini, place a generous spoonful of spinach and bechamel in the center and close as explained above.
7. Arrange the sofficini on the baking sheet and pass them one by one in the batter and then in the breadcrumbs, placing them back in the pan. If you do this job using one hand to pass them in the batter and the other in the breadcrumbs, the job will be easier and faster for you.
8. Now let’s fry the sofficini and first prepare a baking sheet with paper towels on which to lay them once fried.
   Heat the frying oil in a pan and fry the sofficini one or two at a time for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. Remove them from the oil with the spider ladle and transfer them to the baking sheet.

NOTE

If consumed immediately, a wonderful crunchiness can be enjoyed. If eaten the next day, they should be heated in a frying pan with a drizzle of evo oil, or in the oven at 180°C for 5 minutes. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Author: Stella Colonna
Source : Vegabulous