Ladin cuisine
Ladin cuisine is typified by Tyrolean dumplings with ham, strudel and dishes from the Venetian area.
In the old days food was a simple matter. Local people fed themselves mainly on milk products, grain and beans. Barley was one of the most common varieties of grain. A particular ingredient in Alpine cuisine is the poppy seed. Bread was baked twice a year in a household oven, built onto the side of the house which can still be seen today. Butter was a basic food.
Some dishes are still prepared in the same way as in the olden days and especially popular at festivals and holidays: "fanedes" (small round fried pastries usually baked to celebrate an engagement), "tirtles" (flat round fried pastries filled with spinach, curds or cabbage), "crafuncins" (similar to ravioli), "panicia" (barley soup).
Fortaies - Funnel cake (known in Bavaria and Austria as Strauben)
Ingredients for 4 people:
* 200 grams flour
* 3 egg yolks
* 3 egg whites
* 250 ml milk
* 50 grams sugar
* 20 grams melted butter
* 20 ml schnapps
* 1 pinch of salt
In addition:
* Cooking fat
* Icing sugar
Mix the flour and the milk and add the melted butter, the egg yolks and the schnapps.
Blend the egg whites and the salt and beat into a fluffy snow and fold under the pastry
Heat the fat in a flat pan (about 25 centimetres, this gives the size of the funnel cake) to 180 degrees centigrade
Using a funnel let the pastry flow into the pan forming semi circles (see illustration above) and fry them until golden brown
Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with icing sugar
Cooking temperature: 180 degrees centigrade
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Cajincì - A pasta speciality similar to Italian "Ravioli"
Ingredients for 4 people
Pastry
* 100 grams wheat flour
* 150 grams rye flour
* 50 ml lukewarm water
* 1 egg
* 1 tablespoon oil
* Salt
Filling
* 150 grams boiled spinach (approx. 300 grams fresh spinach)
* 100 grams curds
* 50 grams finely chopped onion
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
In addition:
* Grated Parmesan cheese
* Browned butter
Pastry
Mix both kinds of flour and form a circle on a rolling board, add salt
Mix the egg with the lukewarm water and the oil and place in the middle of the flour circle and knead to a smooth pastry
cover the pastry and allow to rest for 30 minutes
Filling
Finely chop the spinach, lightly fry the onions in the butter, add the spinach and allow to cool slightly
Add the curds, chives and salt to taste then stir thoroughly
Method
Roll out the pastry to a thin layer
Using a smooth circular shape cut out pastry circles (approx. 8 centimetres in diameter)
Place a spoonful of the filling in the centre of the circle
Fold the pastry into a semi circle and press the edges together
Cook the "cajinci" in salted water, drain, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and browned butter
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Bales da ciociul - Smoked ham (Tyrol Speck) dumplings
Ingredients for 4 people:
* 150 grams dry white bread
* 40 grams flour
* Approx. 100ml milk or water
* 2 eggs
* 80 grams smoked ham (Tyrol Speck)
* 1/2 onion
* 20 grams butter
To serve
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley or chives
* Salt
Method
Cut the bread into small cubes
Lightly fry the finely chopped onion in the butter pour over the bread cubes and stir
Mix the flour and the smoked ham (Tyrol Speck)
Stir the milk, eggs, parsley and salt together and pour over the bread and mix
Allow the mixture to rest for approx. 15 minutes, then form dumpling balls (4 – 5 centimetre diameter) and boil them (half covered) in salted water
Cooking time: 15 – 20 minutes
Crafuns mori - Sweet pastries with cranberry jam
Ingredients for 15 "doughnuts"
* 205 grams flour
* 2 eggs
* 20 ml milk
* 15 grams yeast
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 tablespoon
* 1 tablespoon schnapps
* ½ teaspoon aniseed
* Pinch of salt
In addition
* Cooking fat
Put the flour in a large bowl and form a hollow in the middle
Mix the milk, yeast (cut into small pieces) and sugar, place in the hollow, cover and allow to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes
Add the oil, eggs, schnapps, aniseed and salt to the flour and beat until bubbles form and the mixture frees itself from the bowl
Cover and allow to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes
Knead thoroughly on a floured board
Cut into equal pieces (approx. 40 grams) and form into balls.
Sprinkle with flour and allow to rest for a further 15 minutes
Heat the fat to 180 degrees centigrade
Take the pastry pieces and pull out evenly in a circle whereby the centre becomes thin (thin enough to read a love letter through!) an the edges are a thick roll
Fry on both sides in the hot fat, basting continually
Drain the "crafuns" on kitchen paper
Fill the centre with cranberry jam
Cooking temperature: 180 degrees centigrade
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Puncerli da pavè - Poppy seed pastries
Ingredients for 40 "doughnuts"
Pastry
* 500 grams flour
* 2 egg yolks
* 1 egg
* 600 ml oil
* 60 ml lukewarm milk
* 60 ml lukewarm water
* 1 tablespoon rum
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* Pinch of salt
Filling
* 20 ml water
* 250 grams finely ground poppy seeds
* 250 grams sugar
* 1 tablespoon honey
* Pinch of grated lemon peel
* ½ teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 packet of vanilla sugar
* 1 tablespoon rum
In addition
* Egg to brush
* Cooking fat
* Icing sugar
Pastry
Place the flour in a large bowl and the milk, oil, water rum, sugar, egg yolk, egg and salt then mix. Knead the pastry onto a smooth working surface
Cover and allow to rest for 20 minutes
Poppy seed filling
Bring the water and sugar to the boil, add the poppy seeds and boil for a few minutes then add the honey, lemon peel, cinnamon, vanilla sugar and rum
Method
Divide the pastry into two pieces then using a pasta machine roll out thinly and cut into 10 centimetre long stripes
Place filling on half of the stripe, brush the edges of the stripe with egg and fold the stripe together, press the edges together and form the "puncerli" on the edges using a pasta wheel
Heat the cooking fat and fry the "puncerli" until golden brown
Drain on kitchen paper
Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve
Cooking temperature: 200 degrees centigrade
Cooking time: 2 minutes
