Cazzilli
Region: Italy, Sicily
Category: Antipasto, Meze, Tapas, and Hors d'Oeuvres
Season: Any
Difficulty: Easy
In
Sicilian, these small potato and pecorino cheese croquettes are known as cazzilli, which means “little pricks” to
give you an idea of their shape. 
They
are very popular and usually served as an antipasto or snack. They are very common in trattorie as an antipasto.
This recipe is based on some very excellent ones I had years ago at La
Scoiattolo (The Squirrel) restaurant on
the Lungomare in Mazara del Vallo on Sicily's
coast.
[photo: Clifford A. Wright]
Yield: Makes 36 croquettes to serve 10 to 12
Preparation Time: 1 hour
2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and quartered
3 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese
1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
1 large garlic clove, very finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 to 8 cups olive oil or olive pomace oil for frying
1. In a large saucepan, place the potatoes in lightly salted cold water to cover by several inches and turn the heat to medium-high. Once the water comes to a boil in about 20 minutes, let continue to boil until a skewer pushed into the center of the potato glides in easily, about another 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, then push the potatoes through a ricer, food mill, or strainer. In a large bowl, beat 2 egg yolks with the potatoes. Add the cheese and 3 tablespoons of the bread crumbs. Add the garlic and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Mix very well with a fork.
2. Roll a heaping tablespoon of potato mixture on a work surface into a small cylinder and set aside as you make all of them. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy but not stiff, then stir in the remaining egg yolk. Pour the bread crumbs onto a piece of wax paper or a plate. Dip the cazzilli in the whites, then dredge them in the bread crumbs and set aside.
3. Preheat the frying oil in a deep fryer or an 8-inch saucepan fitted with a basket insert to 375 degrees F.
4. Fry the cazzilli, in batches, without crowding them, in the hot oil until golden, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and serve lukewarm. Let the frying oil cool completely, strain through a porous paper filter, and save the oil for a future use.
Variation:
Note:
Posted: 09/15/2009