Fried Canederli (Canederli Pressati)

5 from 35 votes

Fried Canederli (Canederli Pressati)

These delicious fried bread dumplings are a traditional dish from the Italian South Tyrol. Easy to make and very versatile, fried canederli can be served in broth, with melted butter or with onion rings, or with a salad for a light lunch or tasty starter.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Course: antipasto, Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Northern Italy, South Tyrol, Trentino-Alto Adige

Keyword: bread dumplings, canederli

Servings:

Calories: 628kcal

Author: Jacqui

Ingredients

For the canederli

9 oz stale bread (250g) crusts removed and cut into cubes
3.25 floz fresh milk (100ml) full fat and tepid
3 eggs large
1-2 oz Italian '00' flour (20-40g) or all-purpose flour. For canederli and dusting
7 oz Italian mountain cheese (200g) cubed. I used fontina (see notes)
1 onion
2 sprigs fresh parsley chopped
fresh chives chopped. For canederli and serving.
salt
freshly ground black pepper.

For cooking and serving

8.5 cups broth (2lt) chicken, vegetable or beef homemade or store bought.
2.5 oz butter (75g) ⅓ to fry onions and ⅔ for canederli.

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients.

Peel and finely chop the onion. Remove crusts from the bread and cut into cubes. Cut the cheese into very small cubes or grate it. Wash and chop the parsley and chives. Break the eggs into a bowl and beat them.
The next step is to fry the onion in butter until it’s soft and translucent. Then set it aside to cool.

Make the canederli mixture.

Next, put the bread cubes into a large bowl, mix the eggs with the milk and pour over the bread. Then add cooked onions, then the flour, parsley and chives. Mix everything together gently and add the small cheese cubes. Mix again. Allow the mixture to rest for ten minutes.

Form your canederli.

Once the canederli mixture has rested use wet hands to form balls about 5-7cm (2-3ins) in diameter. If the mixture is too wet add a little flour or breadcrumbs. Roll the canederli balls in a little flour and then press them with your hands to flatten slightly. They will look like thick patties or fritters. Place the ready canederli only a lightly floured surface while you make the rest.

Cook and serve your fried canederli.

When you have made all the canederli, put the broth on to heat and melt butter in a frying pan. Fry the canederli in the butter until they have browned on both sides. You may have to do this in batches. Place the ready fried canederli on a plate covered with kitchen paper until you have fried them all.
Bring the broth to a simmer and cook the canederli in the broth for 8-10 minutes. You may have to do them in batches. Then serve your canederli with some broth or remove them from the broth and serve with melted butter or a salad.

Notes

Traditionally, Italians serve their canederli pressati with fried onion rings or a cabbage salad.

In Italy, canederli pressati are made with graukäse (Tyrolean grey cheese). This is a strongly flavoured, rennet free low fat cow’s milk cheese from the Tyrolean Alps. I used fontina another Italian mountain cheese. You can also use Asiago, Bitto, Montasio, Emmenthal or Swiss Gruyère.

Nutritional info is just for the fried canederli without broth. This recipe should make at least 8-12 fried canederli depending on the size.

Nutrition