Choose bread which is elastic, but has no holes in it. Remove the
crust and cut it in slices about one inch thick, and from these slices
cut little pieces about three inches long and about one inch wide.
Trim them off well, so they will not be ragged or uneven. Put these
pieces into a bowl and throw on them some boiling water, then remove
them immediately and throw them into a big bowl of cold water. This
operation should be done quickly, so as to make the bread feel the
impression of heat and cold, one directly after the other. Then take
the bread between the hands and gently squeeze out the water without
breaking the pieces or deforming them. Place them on a napkin to dry.
Then dip them in egg which has been beaten up and seasoned with
salt
and pepper. Allow the egg to soak well into the bread. Fifteen minutes
before serving put a frying-pan on with a quantity of lard, and as
soon as the lard is lukewarm put in the pieces of bread, turn them as
soon as they harden a little on one side. The bread must fry very
slowly, and should remain on the fire at least ten minutes, so that
the heat can penetrate gradually into the middle and make it light.
This bread to be successful should be hollow inside like a fritter
when finished. When the bread has taken a good golden color, remove
from the lard, drain it on a napkin, add a little salt, and serve very
hot.
Source:
Simple Italian Cookery 
