Tirtlan with Potatoes and Ricotta

Tirtlan are a typical dish of South Tyrolean cuisine and consist of stuffed fritters that can be filled with various ingredients such as spinach, sauerkraut, or in this specific case, potatoes and ricotta. Here is the recipe for preparing Tirtlan with potatoes and ricotta.

Ingredients

• 250 g wheat flour
• 250 g rye flour
• 1 egg
• A pinch of salt
• Water, as needed
• 300 g potatoes
• 200 g ricotta
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Nutmeg, to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped (optional)
• Oil for frying

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the dough for the Tirtlan. In a bowl, mix the flours with the egg, a pinch of salt and add the water little by little until you get a soft and workable dough. Let the dough rest covered for 30 minutes.
2. For the filling, boil the potatoes, peel them and mash them with a potato masher. Mix the potato puree with the ricotta, adding salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. If desired, you can also add the finely chopped onion previously sautéed in butter until it becomes transparent.
3. Roll out the dough on a floured surface until you get a thickness of about 2-3 mm. With a glass or a cookie cutter, cut out circles.
4. Fill each circle of dough with a spoonful of potato and ricotta filling, then close into a half-moon, pressing the edges well to seal them.
5. Fry the Tirtlan in plenty of hot oil until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
6. Serve the Tirtlan hot, accompanied as desired with fresh salad or another side dish of your choice.

Every region or even every family may have its own variation of this recipe, so feel free to customize it to your taste.

Trivia

Tirtlan are linked to festivals and traditions and in the past were prepared especially during Carnival. Today they are enjoyed all year round and represent one of the South Tyrolean culinary specialties that are absolutely worth trying.