Chiacchere di Carnevale

Italians celebrate Carnevale as a way to enjoy a period of festivity and indulgence before the solemnity and fasting of Lent. The celebration includes parades, masks, and confetti and of course lots of delicious specialities like Chiacchere di carnevale.

Chiacchere di Carnevale are a traditional Italian sweet treat enjoyed during the Carnevale celebrations. These delightful pastries are thin, crispy strips of dough that are fried and then dusted with powdered sugar. They are known for their light and airy texture, making them a popular indulgence during the festive season.

The name "chiacchere" translates to "chatter" or "gossip" in English, which adds a playful touch to these treats. They are also known by different names in various regions of Italy, such as "frappe," "crostoli," or "bugie."

Ingredients

• 3 eggs

• 1 egg yolk

• 65 gr of sugar

• 25 ml of liquer (like amaretto)

• ½ vanilla pod seeds or a few drops of extract

• 500 gr of siftef plain flour

• 5 g of baking powder

• 50 g of unsalted butter

• 1 lt of veg oil to fry

• Icing sugar to dust

Method

Beat the eggs with the sugar and add the vanilla.

Now incorporate the sifted flour and baking powder to avoid lumps and after that knead in the room temperature butter. Knead until smooth and let it rest for 30 minutes in the fridge at room temperature to firm up a little.

Now, as if it was pasta, roll it thinly with a pasta machine (or a rolling pin) to create 2 to 3 mm thick sheets. Do not work on all the pastry at once but do it in sections.

Once rolled out using a pastry wheel cut into irregular rectangular pieces of about 10 x 5 cm and fry into veg oil at 180 degrees celcius. Fry in batches so you don’t over crowd the pan and risk to break the thin chiacchere. Keep the heat constant medium and turn them with care so that the chiacchere cookes evenly. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until well golden. Let them dry on kitchen paper from the excess oil and serve with a dust of icing sugar.