strangolapreti - priest stranglers
they will bring you to gluttony
by Laura Pazzaglia
(return to food)

Strangolapreti, translated into "priest stranglers", is a dish that has mythical beginnings, many regional interpretations, and claims of origin.

A Legend, or two
According to one legend, these dumplings got their name when a gluttonous priest ate too many of them too quickly and, as the name alludes, choked and died. Another legend refers to the centuries-old practice in Italy to let priests eat for free. According to this version, restaurateurs secretly wished that these "freeloaders" would choke on the pasta course before they could get to the next, more expensive, meat course.

Regional Variations
In Trentino and Lombardy, strangolapreti are gnocchi made with spinach and milk-soaked bread crumbs. In Tuscany, there are two versions, one with spinach and ricotta cheese and the other are a gnocchi made of ground millet instead of the usual flour. In Campania, strangolapreti are gnocchi made potato, flour, and eggs, and in Basilicata there are two different dishes, with two interchangeable names of strangolapreti and strozzapreti (priest chokers) , both very unlike gnocchi and closer to fresh pasta, are made with flour and water either in a loosely twisted shape (similar to gemelli) or a dented gnoccho (similar to orechiette) with a meat ragů sauce; the second are pasta dumpings made with flour, eggs, and lemon zest which are deep-fried, then served unadorned with a sweet wine.

Origins...
While both Trento and Bergamo (Northern Italy) claim to be the birth place of the spinach gnocchi, Lucca (in Central Italy) has the most rustic version using millet – a grain that was, interestingly enough, grown in great quantities during Ancient Roman times in Campania (Southern Italy). It is very likely that the original was born in Campagna where it was picked-up and adapted to local ingredients as it made it’s way North through Italy. Basilicata’s versions are so different in shape and technique that they could very well have appeared on their own with a similarly colorful name. Today, throughout Italy, if you ask for strangolapreti in a restaurant they’ll bring you the “classic” version from Trento.

Margherita mixes the ingredients. Laura, Margherita and Sandra shape the gnocchi. When they float, they are ready to toss in the sauce. Buon Appetito!

Strangolapreti Lesson
A few months ago, my mother-in-law came to visit us in America, for the first time, and I wasted no time asking her to teach myself and a couple of culinary curiosi how to make Strangolapreti! Although Margherita is originally from Basilicata, she has lived in Trento for over 20 years and has incorporated the local, Northern Italian, cuisine into her repertoire.

We set up the “lesson” at a friend’s house and then gladly ate the results!

Here are some of the regional versions of Strangolapreti... do you know of a different one? Send the recipe to me thorugh our feedback form and we'll add it to this special!

Strangolapreti alla Trentina (also alla Bergamasca)
This is considered the “classic” strangolapreti recipe from Trento (Trentino Alto-Adige) which consists spinach and milk soaked bread crumb gnocchi served in a sage-butter sauce. This exact same recipe is used in Bergamo (Lombardy) and they sometimes fold a little pancetta in the gnocchi dough.

2 lbs of plain bread crumbs
1 lb of frozen chopped Spinach (add a ˝ lb if you are using fresh Spinach)
2 eggs
4 oz of Grana of Trentino (you can substitute Grana Padano or Parmiggiano Reggiano)
4 tbs of butter
olive oil
1 pint of milk
salt to taste
pepper to taste
nutmeg to taste
small bunch of fresh sage

Soak the breadcrumbs the milk for about an hour. In the meantime, strain the frozen spinach and then bring them to a short and wide skillet with a little bit of olive oil and salt. Move the spinach around with a wooden spoon occasionally but keep on low flame until the spinach is completely dry and fluffy (this could take up to 45 minutes). Let the spinach cool for 15 minutes, fold in the softened bread crumb mix, eggs, cheese, slat, pepper and nutmeg.

Turn out on a floured surface and knead until it just begins to stick together – if it’s too wet, add flour, if it’s too dry, add milk. Shape the strangolapreti by rolling out long lines, cutting small bits and either cooking them as they are, or rolling them into little spheres. Put the gnocchi in boiling water and on a nearby burner, place a cold skillet with butter, sage and a little more nutmeg on a low flame. Stay by the gnocchi pot with a slotted spoon, and as they float to the top scoop them out and place them in the warm skillet. When the last gnocchi has come out of the boiling water, gently stir the skillet (to evenly coat the gnocchi) and serve!

Strozzapreti alla Fiorentina
This is the recipe from Firenze (Tuscany) which are made with spinach and ricotta gnocchi.

1 lb of frozen chopped Spinach (add a ˝ lb if you are using fresh Spinach)
1/2 cup boiling salted water
1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 t salt
small bunch of fresh sage
1 cup flour
3 quarts boiling water
1 T salt
4 T butter (unsalted)

Strain the frozen spinach and then bring them to a short and wide skillet with a little bit of olive oil and salt. Move the spinach around with a wooden spoon occasionally but keep on low flame until the spinach is completely dry and fluffy (this could take up to 45 minutes). Let the spinach cool for 15 minutes. In a bowl mix together spinach, ricotta, egg yolks, 1/2-cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt to a very smooth paste. With a regular tablespoon ladle out a piece of the mixture and roll in between floured hands into a small, bite-sized ball. Repeat until the mixture is used up, always keeping your hands floured. Bring lightly salted water to a simmer, then carefully add the dumplings, one at a time, being very careful that there is not too many in the pot at any one time or they will stick together. Remove each dumpling as soon as it rises to the surface. Drain well. Place in a heated serving dish, sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, dot with small pieces of butter, and gently toss. Serve with a bowl of remaining Parmesan cheese.

Strangolapreti alla Campana
This recipe is the version from the Campagna region, who's base ingredient are potato gnocchi pasta.

1 lb of potato gnocchi
16 oz of peeled tomatoes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion
1 Tbsp. of chopped Basil
1 Tbsp. Of Parmesan Cheese
˝ a cup of grated parmesan cheese.

Prepare the gnocchi following the package instructions. Finely cut the onion and saute’ in a skillet. As soon as the onion is soft, add the peeled tomatoes drained tomatoes, squished with a fork, slat, pepper and basil and let it simmer for about 40 minutes.

When the boiling gnocchi raise to the top of the pan, scoop them up with a slotted spoon and place them in a serving dish that you've had warming in the oven. Delicately mix in the sauce, add parmesan cheese and serve.

Strozzapreti alla Potentina
This is probably an unrelated but similarly named recipe from Potenza (Basilicata). The base pasta for this dish is made from flour and water in the shape of orechiette and is uses a ragu’ sauce giving you a first (pasta) and second (meat ) course from the same recipe!

1 lbs of unbleached flour
12 oz can of crushed tomatoes
a bunch of parsley
1/2 cup of white wine
Pecorino Cheese grated and in chunks
2 cloves of garlic
12 oz slice of your favorite cut(s) of pork hammered flat
pancetta
hot pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste
nutmeg
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Chop the parsely with the garlic to make a paste. Mix this paste with some of the grated pecorino and pecorino chunks, nutmeg to taste and a pinch of hot peppers. Smooth the mix evenly over the flattened pork meat. Then, roll the pork meat into a cylinder and tie with kitchen twine (or toothpicks). Brown the meat roll in a pan with a little olive oil, wet with wine and cook until it's evaporated. Add the tomatoes, slat and pepper and leave let it simmer in the pan for about 2 hours -- adding hot water if needed. Remove the meat which you will serve as a second course, and keep the tomato sauce warm for the strozzapreti.

Pour the flour in a bowl and incorporate hot, boling water to obtain a compact dough. Transfer the dough on a floured working surface and knead it for 15 minutes.

Shape cylinders with this pasta the width of a finger, cut them in 1/2" pieces, and stamp them in the middle with your thumb to make orechiette. Throw the pasta in boiling, salted water - it will float but when it is ready all the pieces will sink to the bottom of the pan. When this happens, drain them and mix them with the ragu' sauce you have been keeping warm and freshly grated Pecorino cheese.