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Frittola
Frittola: veal scraps boiled tender, fried in lard with bay and pepper and served warm from a basket
The frittularu of Palermo carries a wicker basket covered with a cloth, and when you order he reaches in blind and pulls out a handful of frittola: soft, fatty veal trimmings and cartilage that have been boiled, then fried slowly in pork lard with bay leaves and black pepper. You find him at dawn and mid-morning in the Vucciria and Ballarò markets, serving it on paper or in a soft bun with lemon. This home version uses veal brisket and its cartilage, which most butchers will sell. Chef's tip: let the boiled meat dry well before it goes into the lard, so it fries rather than spits and stews.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 ⅝ lb veal breast or brisket with cartilagecut into 5 cm pieces
- 1 onionhalved
- 1 tbsp coarse salt
- 4 oz pork lard
- 1 tsp black peppercoarsely ground
- 2 lemonscut into wedges
- 6 soft sesame rolls (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 2 ⅝ lb veal breast or brisket with cartilage, 1 onion and 1 tbsp coarse salt in a large pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil, skimming off the grey foam.
15 minStep 2: Simmer gently, partly covered, for 2 hours, until the cartilage is soft and the meat falls apart under a fork.
120 minStep 3: Drain, discard the onion and spread the meat on a tray to cool and dry for 15 minutes. Pull or chop it into small, irregular pieces, keeping the soft cartilage and some fat.
20 minStep 4: Melt 4 oz pork lard in a wide, heavy pan over a medium-low heat, add 4 bay leaves and let it sizzle for 1 minute.
2 minStep 5: Add the meat and fry for 15–20 minutes, stirring now and then, until it is hot through and golden and crisp at the edges. Season with 1 tsp black pepper. Common mistake: frying on a high heat; the pieces burn outside before the fat renders and turns tender.
20 minStep 6: Tip into a cloth-lined basket or warm bowl and cover to keep warm. Serve on paper or in 6 soft sesame rolls with 2 lemons to squeeze over.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 0 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does frittola take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 160 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
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