READY FOR A SNACK?

Fancy for a hearty snack while on the ski runs in the 3 Zinnen area? Then the “Tirtlan” is the answer. 

Read on to  replicate this specialty, typical of Val Pusteria (Pustertal), the valley home of the Three Peaks. 

Spinach Tirtlan

For the dough:

200 g wheat flour

50 g buckwheat flour

1 tbs olive oil

1 egg

80 ml lukewarm milk

A pinch of salt

For the filling:

30 g chopped onion

1 clove of garlic, crushed

20 g butter

200 g cooked English spinach

1 tbs grated parmisan cheese

A pinch of nutmeg

Salt and pepper to your liking

Method:

To make the dough, mix the wheat and the buckwheat flours then add oil, egg, milk and salt. Knead until you have a smooth dough.

Wrap the dough in gladwrap and let it rest for 30 min.

Fry the onion and the garlic in a bit of butter. Add the cooked spinach, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Simmer briefly and then let the mixture cool.

Roll out the dough to a thin layer and cut in half. Place tablespoons of the spinach filling on one sheet of dough every 100mm. Cover with the other sheet of dough. Cut out round shapes (the “tirtlan”) around the filling, press down well the edges

Fry the “tirtlans” in deep hot oil. Once cooked put on kitchen paper towel, then serve warm.

                                    Buon Appetito!

Tips - If you have any leftover dough after using all the spinach filling, make some sweet tirtlans using a jam of your choice and folding the dough onto itself to make half-moon shapes. Fry as above.