“priest stranglers”

strangolapreti

4 servings

• 7 slices stale white bread (7½ ounces)
• ¾ cup whole milk
• Salt
• 1 pound Swiss chard, center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely chopped
• 1 large egg
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 large sage leaves
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese

Cut bread into cubes and place in a large bowl. Add milk and cover mixture with plastic wrap; weight with a plate or smaller bowl filled with water. Chill in refrigerator overnight. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add chard and cook for 1 minute; drain and rinse with cold water to cool. With hands, squeeze water from chard.

In a food processor, puree bread and milk until slightly chunky, about 30 seconds. Add chard, egg and ¼ teaspoon salt; puree until dough forms a ball, about 2 minutes. Transfer dough to a cutting board and divide into 4 pieces. Roll each into ½-inch-diameter rope. Cut crosswise into 1½-inch pieces.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 10 strangolapreti; cook until strangolapreti are tender and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer strangolapreti to a large serving bowl.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; add sage leaves, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until butter is fragrant and flavored with the sage, about 5 minutes. Remove sage leaves, pour butter over strangolapreti and toss gently to combine. Serve with grated cheese.