Sturzapreti (Corsican Brocciu Gnocchi)

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Sturzapreti ('priest-stranglers' in Corsican — the same irreverent name found across Italy as strozzapreti, reflecting the shared Italic culinary heritage) are Corsica's signature dumplings: rolled cylinders of brocciu, Swiss chard, eggs, and flour, poached and served with tomato sauce and grated aged cheese. The name's legend varies: either the priests ate so many that they choked, or the housewives made them so well that the visiting priest was strangled by his own greed. The preparation: wilt 500g Swiss chard leaves (green only, stems removed), squeeze dry in a cloth (this step is critical — excess water makes the dumplings fall apart), and chop finely. Mix with 400g well-drained fresh brocciu, 2 beaten eggs, 100g grated brocciu passu or aged tomme corse, 80g flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. The mixture should be firm enough to hold its shape when rolled — add flour sparingly if too wet. Roll into cylinders approximately 2cm in diameter and 5cm long, rolling each one over the tines of a fork to create grooves that catch the sauce. Poach in gently simmering salted water for 3-4 minutes — they are done when they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon, arrange in a gratin dish, cover with tomato sauce (a simple Corsican tomato sauce: olive oil, garlic, crushed tomatoes, basil, simmered 30 minutes), scatter with grated brocciu passu, and gratinée under a hot grill for 5 minutes. The result is one of the most satisfying pasta-adjacent dishes in Mediterranean cuisine: soft, light dumplings with the delicate brocciu flavor, the minerality of the chard, and the bright acidity of the tomato sauce. Sturzapreti are the Corsican equivalent of Italian malfatti or gnudi — ricotta-based dumplings that prove that the simplest pasta traditions are often the best.

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