Name: Crocchè di patate
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Cuisine: Italian, Naples / Campania
Ingredients: 1 kg floury yellow potatoes, unpeeled; 2 large eggs; 70 g Pecorino Romano or aged caciocavallo, finely grated; 20 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 8 g fine sea salt; 2 g coarsely ground black pepper; 160 g well-drained provola or fior di latte, cut into 10 narrow strips; 60 g plain flour, optional first coating; 2 egg whites, lightly beaten; 180 g fine dry breadcrumbs; 1.2 L peanut or high-oleic frying oil, approximately

Crocchè di patate: wide hero view of the finished traditional dish

Prep40 minutes

Cook35 minutes

Total2 h 45 min

Yield10 large crocchè

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The dish

About Crocchè di patate

Regione Campania documents crocchè, also called panzarotti, as a traditional Naples street food with a crisp golden exterior and a soft potato-rich interior.

Floury mature potatoes are important because watery or waxy potatoes make a loose mixture that can open in the fryer.

The cheese filling must be dry: the regional method specifically calls for provola or fior di latte with very little whey.

After breading, the croquettes benefit from a long rest before frying so the coating dries and adheres.

Technique

Three things that matter

Start with dry potatoes. Steam-dry the cooked potatoes before ricing so the mixture stays firm without excess flour.
Keep the cheese enclosed. A single dry strip of provola should sit fully inside each potato cylinder.
Rest before frying. A chilled, dry breading is much less likely to split in hot oil.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Everything needed to prepare the dish, arranged for fast scanning before cooking.

Potato mixture

1 kgfloury yellow potatoesunpeeled
2 largeeggs
70 gPecorino Romano or aged caciocavallofinely grated
20 gflat-leaf parsleyfinely chopped
8 gfine sea salt
2 gcoarsely ground black pepper

Filling and coating

160 gwell-drained provola or fior di lattecut into 10 narrow strips
60 gplain flouroptional first coating
2egg whiteslightly beaten
180 gfine dry breadcrumbs

Frying

1.2 Lpeanut or high-oleic frying oilapproximately

Step by step

Method

Cook and season the potatoes

Boil potatoes in their skins. Cover the potatoes with cold water, bring to a gentle boil and cook until a knife enters the centre easily, about 25–30 minutes depending on size.
The potatoes should be tender but not waterlogged or bursting apart.
Steam-dry and rice. Drain, peel while warm and let surface steam escape for 5 minutes, then pass through a ricer.
The mash should look fluffy and dry, not glossy or wet.
Make the firm mixture. Mix in eggs, grated cheese, parsley, salt and black pepper only until evenly combined.
The mixture should hold a compact cylinder when pressed in the hand.

Fill, bread and rest

Portion and fill. Divide into 10 portions, flatten each, place one dry strip of provola in the centre and close the potato around it. Shape cylinders about 3–4 cm thick.
No cheese should be visible through cracks in the potato.
Coat completely. Roll lightly in flour if the surface feels tacky, then in egg white and finally breadcrumbs.
The breadcrumb coat should be continuous, especially at both ends.
Chill and dry the coating. Arrange on a tray and refrigerate uncovered or loosely covered for 60–90 minutes.
The exterior should feel dry and firmly attached before frying.

Fry and serve

Heat the oil. Bring the frying oil to 170–175°C in a deep pot.
The oil should recover to the target range before each batch.
Fry in small batches. Fry 2–3 crocchè at a time for 3–4 minutes, turning if necessary.
They should become evenly deep golden without leaking cheese.
Drain briefly. Lift to a rack or absorbent paper, season lightly and serve after 2–3 minutes.
The crust should stay crisp while the potato centre remains soft and the cheese molten.

Practical guidance

Serving

Serve hot as part of a Neapolitan fritto misto or as a substantial street-food snack.

Make-ahead

Shape and bread up to 12 hours ahead; keep chilled in one layer until frying.

Potato choice

Avoid new or waxy potatoes because their moisture makes the mixture harder to fry cleanly.

Troubleshooting

Croquettes split in oil. The mixture or cheese was too wet, the coating had gaps, or the croquettes were not rested long enough.
Centre is dense and gluey. The potato was overmixed; rice it and fold additions only until combined.
Crust is greasy. The oil temperature dropped; fry fewer at a time and let it recover.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1 large crocchè
Calories: approximately 250 kcal
Carbohydrates: 29 g
Protein: 8 g
Fat: 12 g
Fibre: 2 g
Sodium: 430 mg

Approximate; actual oil absorption and cheese sodium vary.

Allergens and food safety

Keep the filled croquettes refrigerated until frying.

Use a deep pot no more than half filled with oil and monitor temperature with a thermometer.

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat until piping hot.

FAQ

What potatoes work best?

Older floury yellow potatoes are ideal because they produce a dry, compact mixture.

Why rest the breaded crocchè?

The resting period dries and sets the coating, reducing the chance of splitting in the fryer.

Can mozzarella be used?

Yes, but only if it is very well drained and relatively dry.

Final note

What matters most

Result: A brittle golden breadcrumb shell around seasoned potato and a molten streak of provola.
Key: Dry potatoes, dry cheese and a long breading rest are the three controls that make frying reliable.