Looking for an easy way to impress your guests? These coccoli are what you need, small Italian bread balls deep-fried until crispy and soft. Serve them with cheese and cured meat. YUM!
Coccoli are the perfect addition to every party, from a laid-back aperitivo to more festive gatherings such as Thanksgiving or Christmas. These fried balls are insanely delicious, and thanks to their soft and pillowy crumbs are perfect to be stuffed with cheese and salami. Remember to serve them with my Italian Aperol spritz mocktail recipe!!!
The secret to a delicious and perfect coccoli is in softness. In fact, a perfect coccolo should be soft as a cloud and not hard. This is achieved through two elements: the amount of water used in the dough and the coil folding technique used during the rising time. These factors work harmoniously to create air pockets inside, resulting in coccoli with a light and airy texture that are simply irresistible.
A sweet alternative to coccoli is my Italian fried dough dessert, a traditional Italian sweet made during the carnival period. In case you are looking to serve them along with a main course try my casarecce pasta made with a mix of homemade tomato sauce and smokey roasted eggplant.
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What is coccoli?
Coccoli is an Italian plural word that means "cuddles". They are from Tuscany, more precisely in Florence, also known as fitaccole, or donzelle. These delicious fried bread balls were traditionally sold by street vendors and wrapped in paper cones making them convenient and tasty snacks for people strolling through the city.
Nowadays coccoli are served in restaurants and osterie in Florence. They are often served as an appetizer or aperitivo, followed by cheese, cured meats, and a glass of red wine.
Why you'll love coccoli
- Easy to make- the dough is super easy to make and no stand mixer is required. Simply combine all the ingredients using a fork until they come together, then fold the dough. To finish, allow it to rise before frying. So easy!
- Makes a great appetizer- these coccoli make the perfect appetizer to delight your guests before the main course. Served with various accompaniments like cheese, cured meats, or dipping sauces, the flavor combinations are endless.
- Crowd-pleasing - coccoli looks visually appealing, its crunchy texture, pillowy heart, and bread flavor will please your guests. Not to mention that its bite-sized, make them easy for guests to enjoy without the need for utensils.
- Versatility - coccoli are a fantastic choice for accommodating guests with different diets. They are great for those who have nut allergies, are vegetarian, vegans or follow a dairy-free diet.
How to serve coccoli
The classic match is to serve them along with stracchino cheese and prosciutto crudo. The contrast of the creamy, mild stracchino cheese and the salty prosciutto crudo pairs wonderfully with the coccoli. I like to serve them with a choice of different cheeses and cured meats allowing each person to craft combinations that perfectly suit their palate.
To ensure inclusivity for those with allergies or those who follow different diets arrange the cheeses and the cured meats in two separate platter. This arrangement will not only look tidy and beautiful but it will also simplifies choices for guests. Here you see a list of cheese and cured meats to choose from:
- Cheese: choose stracchino, squacquerone, burrata, robiola, taleggio, gorgonzola, semi-matured/soft pecorino toscano, and pecorino sardo.
- Cured meat: salame finocchiona, salame Milano, salame cacciatorino, 'nduja, bresaola, lonza, mortadella, prosciutto crudo, prosciutto cotto, pancetta, culatello di Zibello, capocollo, speck, porchetta, and lardo di Colonnata.
Don't stop at the cheese and charcuterie board, add some pitted olives, grilled vegetables, and dips to create a beautiful feast. Let your aperitivo become a delightful experience of flavors and textures.
Use the coccoli as finger food, even for a special occasion such as the Christmas holiday. Serve the fried bread balls topped with a dollop of whipped burrata, a slice of smoked salmon, few leaves of dill, and for a luxury touch add a hint of caviar. For a neat dining experience consider inserting a cocktail stick into the fried ball to keep the toppings in place.
What drinks with coccoli?
There are a variety of drinks that go perfectly well with these fried bread balls. In fact, when you think about dips, sauces, cheese, and cured meats, think about what drink will better suit the food. Here I have a list of drink that works perfectly with the coccoli:
- Red wine: is the classic match. Buy light red wine, choose wines that are not too complex and not aromatic. My choice would be a Lambrusco or a light Pinot Noir.
- White wine: choose light white wine as Pinot Grigio.
- Bubble: choose Franciacorta or rosé. Bubble wines go well with fried food as it cleanses the palate.
- Beer: a light lager, pilsner, or even a craft light ale can be a great match.
- Cocktails: as we are serving an Italian dish opt for the king of the Italian aperitivo, the iconic Aperol spritz.
- Analcolic: choose drinks with slight bubbles such as Italian Crodino drink, Chinotto drink, or light mocktails made with soda.
Ingredients
The ingredients used in the dough are essentially the same as the ones you find in the bread recipe. The ratio in the coccoli creates a wet dough texture more similar to bread with high hydration. See recipe card for quantities.
- Flour: for this recipe use flour with 13g of protein. My choice is strong white bread flour. You can find the protein ratio in the nutrition table, usually at the back of the product.
- Yeast: use fast action dry yeast. This yeast can be added directly to the flour, skipping the rehydration step.
- Salt: to enhance the coccoli dough. My choice is Maldon salt, less salty than others.
- Water: use still water or tap water that is safe to drink. Use water at room temperature if you are making this in the summer. However, if you are making this in the winter make sure to use slightly warm water.
- Oil: use peanut oil or sunflower oil for deep frying the bread ball. Peanut oil has a higher smoking point, which will result in less greasy food. Alternatively, sunflower oil will work great too.
🔪 Coccoli instructions
The steps to make the coccoli are super simple and they will be done in a blink of an eye. You just need to mix the ingredients with the fork and perform the folding technique on the dough. Easy peasy. Read the recipe card for the full instructions.
Add the flour and the yeast to a medium bowl. Mix with a fork and add the water
Combine the ingredients with a fork very quickly. Finish to combine by hand until you get a wet dough and no dry ingredients are left in the bowl.
Perform the coil fold and cover the dough with a cling film. Leave to rest at 26°C/78.8°F for two hours until doubled in size. Practice the folding every 30 minutes for a total of 3 times.
Once the oil is ready to fry, add 3 coccoli at a time. Use two spoons to pick up the dough. The coccoli are ready once they have light golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to lift the coccoli out of the oil and transfer them to paper towels.
📖Variations
Coccoli tastes even more delicious when accompanied by a wide variety of foods. Here are some creative ideas for serving coccoli with different types of toppings, and accompaniments or for those who follow specific diets.
- Vegetarian diet: serve them with some grilled veggies or a variety of dips.
- Vegan diet: coccoli are vegan-friendly as the ingredients in the dough are plant-based. Pair them with vegan dips, spreads, vegan cheese, vegan cured meats, or with different salsa.
- Dairy-free diet: they are naturally dairy-free, as no dairy ingredients are present in the dough. Pair them with dairy-free dips like hummus, salsa, or dairy-free cheese.
- Herbs: infuse the dough with herbs for a fresh and aromatic flavor. Use a mix of fresh basil, dill, chives, and mint. Chop them and add them to the dough.
- Meat: add small pieces of chorizo or some crispy bacon to the dough.
- Cheese: include different types of cheese in the dough for a more indulgent experience. Adding grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano can infuse the dough with a rich, savory flavor while adding cubes of scamorza cheese can create delightful pockets of melted cheese.
- Dips: serve them with red pepper dip, guacamole, hummus, olive tapenade, cheese Philadelphia, feta dip, or baba ganoush.
- Sauces: use the sauces as dip options as my spicy arrabiata, my amatriciana sauce, or my calabrese sauce ragu.
- Seafood: try them with some slices of smoked salmon. A heavenly match!
- Bread: use them as bread for your dinner or lunch.
- Sweet treat: don't forget about the sweet side! Dusted with powdered sugar or cinnamon for a delightful dessert option. Also serve them when still warm with some chocolate dipping sauce or jam such as strawberry, raspberry, orange, or apricot. Alternatively, drizzle them with some honey along with some roasted pecans.
Equipment
You will need a medium bowl and a fork to combine the ingredients. A cling film to cover the coccoli dough before the rising step. Use two spoons to help you pick the dough before dropping them into the hot oil.
The key to perfect deep frying is to choose a pan with the high side so the coccoli will have enough room to float in the oil. This will result in a crispier and dry outcome. Look for a pan with a diameter of 20 cm / 7.87402 inches and a base of 11 cm ⌀/ 4.33071 inches. This way you reduce the amount of oil needed for the recipe.
Storage
The coccoli are better to eat once are still hot, as for every fried food. However, they will be still soft for the next day but they will lose a bit in texture. If you have some leftovers store them in a container with a layer of clean paper towel beneath. Before serving, you can reheat them in the oven until warm.
You can still serve me the next day with some cheese and salami or simply add a spoonful of fresh tomato sauce with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and a leaf of basil on top. It will make a mouthwatering starter that will impress your family members.
💭Top tip
To achieve a delicious coccoli I have listed some crucial steps for you to follow.
Dough consistency: it should have a soft texture, similar to a highly hydrated bread dough. Avoid adding extra flour.
Fold the dough: the coil folding technique help the dough to develop the gluten and it will create some beautiful air pocket within the fried balls.
Use a thermometer: to control and maintain the same oil temperature, to achieve perfectly fried bread balls. Also, use it to check the temperature of the place where the dough is rising for a better rise.
Enough oil: is important to fry the coccoli in plenty of oil. The fried balls need to float in the oil without touching the pan's bottom. By doing this, you'll achieve fried bread balls that are lighter and drier in texture.
Fry in batches: this will prevent overcrowding the pan, allowing each batch to have sufficient space to cook evenly. Fry 3 coccoli at a time.
FAQ
No, I wouldn't recommend it. The dough is soft and for this reason, it needs deep frying.
Thermometer: the most accurate way to see if the oil is ready, is to use a thermometer. I recommend choosing one that is suitable for frying. The oil is ready once the temperature reaches 175°C to 180°C /347°F-356°F. Remember to check and maintain the right temperature during the frying to prevent the food from burning.
Bread test: alternatively you can use the bread as a tester method. Drop a small piece of bread into the oil. If it immediately starts sizzling and browning, the oil is ready. if it sinks and doesn't sizzle, the oil is not hot enough. On the other hand, If it browns too quickly or burns, the oil is too hot.
Wooden test: another way to test, is to use the handle of a wooden spoon or a wooden chopstick. Once the oil is preheated place the handle of a wooden spoon or a wooden chopstick into the oil. If small bubbles start forming around the spoon's handle, the oil is hot enough. If the bubbles are very vigorous it means that the oil is too hot and needs to cool off a bite. On the other hand, if no or few bubbles pop up, then the oil is not ready.
No, coccoli are not gluten free. Unfortunately, my recipe involves using wheat flour.
Stracchino is a spreadable cheese, made from cow's milk and it has a creamy texture with a slightly acidic flavor. This Italian cheese is extremely versatile thanks to its delicate taste. You can buy it in any Italian deli or online.
The correct pronunciation is co-col-ee.
Appetizer
Looking for more appetizer recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with coccoli:
📖 Recipe
Coccoli: The Perfect Party Dish
Equipment
- 1 Medium Bowl
- 1 Fork
- 1 Little bowl to wet the hand and the spoons
- 1 pan for deep-frying top diameter of 20 cm / 7.87402 inches and a base of 11 cm ⌀/ 4.33071 inches
- 1 Cooking thermometer
Ingredients
- 250 gr white bread flour (13% protein) 8.9 oz
- 2 gr fast active dry yeast 0.071 oz
- 190 ml water at room temperature 6.7 fluid oz
- ½ tsp maldon salt
For deep frying
- 1 and ½ litre peanut oil or sunflower oil
Instructions
- Add the flour and the yeast into a medium bowl. Give a mix with the fork to combine the yeast into the flour.
- Add the salt to the water and give it a stir. Pour the water into the flour and with a fork combine until water is absorbed. Finish combining by hand until you have a soft and sticky dough and no dry bits are left in the bowl.
- Wet the hand and release the bottom of the dough using your hand. *Grab the middle of the dough and stretch it high and fold the dough over itself and tuck. Repeat again. Do the same for the opposite side of the dough and repeat. Repeat again.
- Leave to *rise for 2 hours at 26°C/78.8°F, covered with a cling film. Repeat the coil folding technic for 3 times every 30 minutes. Wet the hand for every folding, to help you manage better the dough. The dough is ready when is double in size and has a few bubbles on top.
- Once the dough is ready to fry heat the oil in a pan. Check the temperature with a thermometer and when reaches 175°C to 180°C /347°F-356°F it is ready to use. Once the oil has reached the right temperature, turn the heat down to medium. Remember to keep the same temperature for all the frying steps by checking with a thermometer.
- Use two spoons to pick up the dough. Be sure to dip the spoons into the water each time you scoop out the dough, and use a tall glass filled with water to help you with it. This way the dough won't stick to the spoons and will be easier to slide into the oil.
- Scoop the dough with one spoon and very gently slide the dough into the oil with the help of the other spoon. Don't overcrowd the pan with too much coccoli. Just fry three coccoli for each batch for an even result. Be careful when managing hot oil.
- The dough will float immediately into the oil. Fry the coccoli for a total of 5 minutes for each batch. Be sure to turn the fried balls occasionally.
- They will be ready when they will have a golden color and are double in size. Drain the coccoli from the oil with a skimmer and drop them into a tray with some kitchen paper.
- Serve them when still hot with cheese and cured meat.
Notes
- Thermometer: the most accurate way to see if the oil is ready, is to use a thermometer. I recommend choosing one that is suitable for frying. The oil is ready once the temperature reaches 175°C to 180°C /347°F-356°F. Remember to check and maintain the right temperature during the frying to prevent the food from burning.
- Bread test: if you don't have a thermometer, you can use the bread as a tester method. Drop a small piece of bread into the oil. If it immediately starts sizzling and browning, the oil is ready. While if it sinks and doesn't sizzle, the oil is not hot enough. On the other hand, if it browns too quickly or burns, the oil is too hot.
- Wooden test: another way to test, is to use the handle of a wooden spoon or a wooden chopstick. Once the oil is preheated place the handle of a wooden spoon or a wooden chopstick into the oil. If small bubbles start forming around the spoon's handle, the oil is hot enough. If the bubbles are very vigorous it means that the oil is too hot and needs to cool off a bite. On the other hand, if no or few bubbles pop up, then the oil is not hot enough.
Serena says
What a delicious recipe! I made them last weekend and they were incredibly delicious and so easy to make!
Emma says
Made it for the second time for a family party and all our guests were so impressed by it. We love this recipe.