Sciatt (Buckwheat And Cheese Fritters)

In spite of their name (which means toad) and their appearance, Sciatt are crunchy buckwheat fritters with a heart of melted cheese. This is a traditional dish from Valtellina, a valley in the Lombardia region bordering Switzerland. This northern part of Italy is known for its ski resorts, hot springs and traditional products as Bresaola, Casera Cheese PDO, Bitto cheese PDO and wines. Serve Sciatt hot over a bed of chicory finely chopped and drizzled with oil and vinegar.

Pair this dish with Valtellina red wines as Inferno or Sassella.

Buon Appetito!!!

Servings : 4
Difficulty : easy
Prep Time : 30 min.
Cook Time : 15 min.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup + 1 tbsp Buckwheat flour
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
9 oz Casera Cheese (or Fontina)
salt, to taste
1 shot of Italian Grappa
sparkling water, to taste
Peanut Oil for deep-frying

DIRECTIONS
Dice the Casera cheese into pieces about 2 inches wide, set aside.
In a big bowl mix the flours, Grappa, salt, adding sparkling water until a soft batter forms.
Dip the diced cheese into the batter.
Pick up with a tablespoon one piece of cheese at the time, covered with enough batter and drop it into hot oil.
Fry each Sciatt until browned (usually a couple of minutes).
Drain the Sciatt with a slotted spoon and serve hot over a bed of chicory, drizzled with oil and vinegar.

Photo by Ale Gambini