Buckwheat Cheese Fritters (Sciatt)
Sciatt Say it: SHYAHT
Sciatt are the mountain appetizer of Valtellina, in the Italian Alps: small buckwheat fritters with a cube of cheese hidden inside. The batter is dark, nutty and slightly sour, the crust shatters when you bite it and the cheese runs out molten. They are eaten hot, piled on a bed of bitter chicory dressed with olive oil, usually as a starter in the cold months, in rifugi and village trattorie, with a glass of local red.
Buckwheat Cheese Fritters (Sciatt)
Sciatt
Pronounced SHYAHT
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Fritters
To serve
Method
Make the batter. whisk the buckwheat flour, all-purpose flour and salt in a large bowl. Beat in the egg, then add the water gradually, whisking to a smooth, thick batter with no lumps, like heavy cream. Stir in the grappa and let the batter rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Pat the cheese cubes dry on paper towel and keep them cold until needed; dry, chilled cheese gives the cleanest molten center and stops the fritters bursting in the oil.
Pour the oil into a deep, heavy pan to a depth of about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) and heat to 360°F (180°C). A drop of batter should sizzle and rise immediately.
Drop a cheese cube into the batter and turn it until fully coated, then lift it with a fork or your fingers, letting the excess drip back, and slide it gently into the hot oil. Coat and add 6 to 8 fritters at a time, without crowding.
Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown and crisp, with ragged edges and a hollow sound when tapped. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel, then keep warm in a low oven while you fry the rest.
Dress the chicory leaves with the olive oil, salt and a grind of pepper, and spread them over a serving platter. Pile the hot fritters on top and bring them to the table at once, while the cheese still runs.
Regional variants
Some cooks use buckwheat flour alone for a denser, more rustic fritter, and a splash of beer or white wine often replaces the grappa. A mix of Casera and Gorgonzola gives a sharper, more savoury filling.
Cook's notes
- The batter should sit like thick cream: if it coats the cheese too thinly, stir in another tablespoon of buckwheat flour; if it is stiff, add water a spoonful at a time.
- Keep the oil between 350°F and 360°F (175–180°C). Too hot and the cheese escapes before the crust sets; too cool and the fritters turn greasy and pale.
- Use a semifirm young cheese rather than a very aged one, and cut it into even cubes so every fritter melts at the same moment.
Serve with
A bed of bitter chicory or radicchio, a slice of country bread, and a glass of Valtellina red (Chiavennasca/Nebbiolo).
Make ahead and storage
The batter can rest up to 2 hours. Fry the fritters up to 30 minutes ahead and reheat on a rack in a 350°F (175°C) oven; they do not keep well once cold.
