A Very Sicilian Antipasto - Mitilugghie Siciliane
If you are an Italian food lover, chances are you've tried (or heard of) savory dishes like Caponata, Eggplant Parmesan/Parmigiana di Melanzane or Arancini (all delicious by the way). And, chances are, you haven’t laid your taste buds on these fried bread appetizers called Mitilugghie (mee-tee-loo-gee-ay). The name is Sicilian dialect and speaks to just how Sicilian this antipasto is.
A few years back in Sicily, I was invited to a BBQ (Sicilian-style) and when I showed up I could smell this intriguing mix of fried bread, oregano and sea breeze. I followed my nose to where the cooks were gathered in the outdoor kitchen and watched them make these amazing savory treats!
This antipasto is simple and delicious, and perfect for outdoor gatherings!
Note: You can turn this into a full on meal by stuffing them with soft cheese (mozzarella fresca/mozzarella di bufala or your favorite soft cheese) and cold cuts :)
Here you go:
Ingredients:
600g/1.3 lbs All Purpose flour (00 flour if you have access to it)
10 g or 1 packet dry Yeast
30g/2 tbsp Sugar
30g/2 tbsp Oregano
30 ml of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 bottle Canola Oil
320 ml Water at room temperature
Sea salt
To Cook:
Pour flour, yeast and sugar into a bowl and mix (with your hands or a mixer). Then add the extra virgin olive oil and water to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until it has absorbed all of the liquids - the dough should look sticky and rough. Cover the mixture in cling wrap (or something similar) and let it sit for 20 min.
Remove the cling wrap, add the salt and work the dough again until you get a smooth and even consistency. Place the dough on the cutting board and cover it with a bowl. Leave for about two hours to rise (ideally you want the dough to double in size).
After the two hours have passed, remove the bowl and the dough should be ready to go! You'll take pieces of the dough to form little balls, and flatten them make 4” round discs. Get a large frying pan, and heat up the canola oil until it is very hot. Once it is hot, place the discs in and fry them until they are golden brown on each side (a couple min per side). As soon as they are a golden color, scoop them out and immediately sprinkle the salt and oregano on each one.
The final product should look something like this:
