To find out what Gofri are and where this ‘cibo di strada’ comes from, I drive to Pinerolo in the province of Turin. Marzia Jourdan of La Gofreria makes round waffles in the way that the ancient tradition prescribes. This is between very old cast irons.
These round shaped irons are originally from the Val Susa and Val Chisone and date back to the 19th century. The dough that Marzia shows is very simple with flour, water, salt, egg and yeast. The gofri from Piedmont are thinner and crispier on the outside, compared to the French which are thicker and softer. The salted gofri are filled with cheeses such as Toma, Stracchino, Gorgonzola or Brie and with fine meats such as: cooked ham, bacon, salami, tacchino (turkey), bresaola or Mortadella. I taste the one with gornzola dolce. It is actually a very good and surprisingly light snack.
Mainly out of love for this tradition and for the territory, Marzia bakes the waffles every single day. She also uses the ingredients from local producers to embed this historical product completely.
Address: Via Savoia, 27 Pinerolo. Gofreria.pinerolo@gmail.com