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When consum are fried they become cassoni, and they are very, very good. Prepare them exactly as described above, but if you are using melted lard in the dough, reduce it to 1½ tablespoons. Fry the dumplings in vegetable oil, if you prefer, but they are most delicious and crisp when fried in hot lard.

Focaccette—Cheese-Filled Pasta Fritters

THERE IS no exact equivalent abroad for the fresh, tart, savory cheese one would use in Italy as the filling of these focaccette. I have tried to come close by combining fontina, for its silkiness and delicacy, Parmesan, for flavor and fullness, and ricotta, for its tart accent. If you have access to other cheeses that you think would produce a similar or possibly even more appealing mixture of soft, rich flavor and piquant freshness, try them.

For 4 to 5 servings

FOR THE DOUGH

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons warm water

FOR THE FILLING

3 tablespoons imported Italian fontina cheese, chopped fine

7 tablespoons fresh ricotta

2 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Salt

Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill

PLUS

1 egg white

Vegetable oil

1. For the dough: Pour the flour onto a work surface, shape it into a mound, and push down its center to form a hollow. Into the hollow put the olive oil, salt, and lukewarm water, and draw the sides of the mound together, mixing all ingredients well with your hands. Knead for 8 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, and put it in a bowl. Cover the bowl with a plate or a cloth towel, and let the dough rest for about 2 hours.

2. For the filling: Combine the three cheeses in a bowl, adding to them a pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper.

3. When the dough has rested the 2 hours, flatten it into a not too thin sheet with a rolling pin. At first it may fight you, but it should soon relax and open out easily. If you prefer, you can thin it through the rollers of a pasta machine, stopping at the setting that produces dough 1/16 inch thick.

4. Cut the sheet of dough into rectangles about 3¼ to 4 inches wide and 6 to 7 inches long. Over half of each rectangle, spread a thin layer of the cheese mixture, about 2 teaspoonfuls. Fold the other half of the rectangle over the cheese, joining it edge to edge with the lower half. Pinch the edges together, then dip a fingertip into the egg white and brush it over the edges to ensure a tight seal.

5. As you finish filling and sealing each fritter, lay it on a clean, dry cloth towel spread out on the counter. If you are not ready to fry them immediately, turn them from time to time to keep them from sticking to the towel. Do not overlap them or stack them.

6. Pour enough oil into the frying pan to come ½ inch up its sides, and turn on the heat to high. When the oil is very hot, slip in as many focaccette at one time as will fit loosely without crowding the pan. Fry them to a golden color on one side, then turn them and do the other side. Often the fritters will puff up and parts of them may jut above the oil level. Use a long-handled wooden spoon to tip them over and dunk them under the hot oil so that they fry as evenly as possible all over.

7. With a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer them to a cooling rack to drain or to a platter lined with paper towels. If there are more focaccette left to fry, repeat the procedure until they are all done. Serve promptly.

Note Use caution when you take your first bite: The cheese oozes out quickly and it may be scalding.

I Ripieni Fritti—Fried Stuffed Dumplings

A GREAT VARIETY of savory fillings can be put into these dumplings that look like large triangular ravioli. One of the tastiest combinations is strips of raw tomatoes with anchovies and capers. Another is cheese and chopped parsley. Once you have tried the basic versions and seen how they work, you can devise your own fillings. You might try putting in thin strips of fried eggplant and roasted peppers. Or mushrooms sautéed in garlic and olive oil. With taste and imagination, you can easily dream up many more.

TOMATO FILLING