Ascolani fried cream cubes, delicious breaded and fried custard, served with Ascolani olives and lamb ribs, also breaded and fried.
We discovered this dish in an episode of 4 Restaurants by Alessandro Borghese, which featured Ascoli Piceno and the special dish was indeed the Ascolani mixed fry that includes this recipe.
This recipe is taken from the website “miglioriolive.it“
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 20 pieces
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Ascolani Fried Cream Cubes:
- 2 medium eggs (at room temperature)
- 2.5 oz granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 0.7 oz potato starch
- 0.8 cups whole milk
- 1 organic lemon
- as needed breadcrumbs
- 1 medium egg (at room temperature)
- as needed fine salt
- as needed oil for frying
Tools for Ascolani Fried Cream Cubes:
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Grater
- 2 Plates
Steps for Preparing and Cooking Ascolani Fried Cream Cubes:
Take the lemon, wash it well, then remove a piece of the peel (be careful not to cut the white part as it is bitter and would ruin the flavor of your preparation); place it in a large saucepan, then grate the remaining peel and put it in a bowl.
In the saucepan, add the milk and bring it to just below boiling point, then turn off the heat and remove the lemon peel.
In the bowl, add the eggs and sugar and whisk well to obtain a frothy mixture, then add the sifted flour and potato starch, stirring well to obtain a smooth and homogeneous batter.
Add the milk and stir immediately very well, then transfer the mixture to the large saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens into a very dense cream.
Turn off the heat and transfer the cream to a 6×5 inch container or a flat plate and form this rectangle, about 2/2.5 cm (0.8/1 inch) high, then moisten your hands and press the cream to make it uniform.
Let it cool well in the refrigerator for about 1 hour (you can also prepare it the day before, then cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator).
In a deep plate, beat the egg well, then place the breadcrumbs on a flat plate.
Cut the cream into 3×3 cm (about 1.2 x 1.2 inches) squares, yielding 20 pieces, then dip each piece first in the beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs, making sure the coating adheres well. Continue this way with all the pieces available.
In a narrow, high-sided saucepan, add the frying oil, and when it’s hot (you can test it with a toothpick; if many bubbles form around the tip, it’s at the right temperature), fry the cream cubes on both sides until golden brown.
Place the cream cubes on a sheet of absorbent paper to drain excess oil, then transfer them to a serving dish and serve immediately while hot.
