CRISPY AND CRUNCHY BAKED CHIACCHIERE
If you’re looking for a lighter alternative to the classic CARNIVAL CHIACCHIERE because frying scares you both to cook and eat, you’re in the right place.
This BAKED CHIACCHIERE recipe is a great alternative to prepare one of the symbolic Carnival sweets but in a light version and still achieve a version that is equally delicious with a crunchy and biscuit-like texture.
Sure, I can’t hide that they are different from the originals but still a great compromise for those who cannot or do not want to fry.
For a long time, I searched for a recipe convinced that I could bake the same chiacchiere meant for frying … nothing more wrong: they became dry and practically inedible.
Changing the cooking method inevitably also changes the dough composition to create the right crispness along with flavors and scents to make the final result even more delicious. After various experiments, I think I have found the recipe to prepare Baked Chiacchiere that allows achieving the best results, I won’t say the best you’ve ever eaten because, alas, those are the fried ones, but definitely the best recipe for preparing Baked Chiacchiere.
So, let’s get to work and prepare the recipe for Baked Chiacchiere together.
If you’re looking for other CARNIVAL desserts, check out
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Carnival
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs (whole)
- 1 packet vanillin
- 2 tablespoons Strega liqueur (or your favorite or fresh orange juice)
- 1 mandarin zest (or orange or lemon)
Tools
- Bowl
- Pasta Machine
- Baking Pan
- Parchment Paper
PROCEDURE
Before starting, here’s a tip. If you want to achieve Chiacchiere with a nice thin pastry, it’s better to use a Dough Roller Machine (the Nonna Papera, as we call it), but if you don’t have one available, a classic wooden rolling pin will work just fine.
Place the sifted flour in a large bowl, create a well in the center, and pour in: eggs, sugar, the grated zest of the chosen citrus, vanillin, oil, and liqueur. Start working from the center outward with a fork until all the flour is incorporated.
At this point, transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead with your hands until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough. Shape it into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
After the resting time, roll out the dough with the pasta machine or a rolling pin, trying to achieve a fairly thin sheet. Since they will go in the oven, they can be a little thicker. Then, cut out the Chiacchiere with a very sharp knife or a fluted pastry cutter. As you make them, place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Once arranged on the tray, bake them in a preheated static oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes. They should become golden but not burnt, so check them in the last few minutes of cooking. Take them out, let them cool slightly, then remove them from the tray and place them on a plate or serving tray for final decoration. Choose to sprinkle them with granulated sugar, powdered sugar, or melted chocolate, as you prefer. Happy Carnival!
And if after reading the whole recipe, you still feel the urge to fry because let’s face it, fried is better, I’ll also give you the simple and intuitive instructions on how to fry the chiacchiere in a pan with oil. Just heat the oil in a pan, preferably narrow with high edges. To check if it has reached the right temperature, try putting a small piece of dough inside: if it floats back to the surface, the oil is ready. At this point, start frying the chiacchiere a few at a time, turning them to cook on all sides. When they are nicely golden, drain them with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate with absorbent paper. Finally, when they’ve cooled slightly, sprinkle them with plenty of powdered sugar.
TIPS AND VARIANTS:
VEGETABLE OIL: In this recipe, I used vegetable oil in the dough, but melted butter works just as well in equal amounts.
STREGA LIQUEUR: The classic version of Chiacchiere contains liqueur inside to flavor them. The most commonly used is Strega liqueur, but feel free to replace it with your preferred liqueur or even white wine. Another option is fresh orange juice previously strained through a sieve.
FLAVORS: In today’s recipe, I decided to flavor the Chiacchiere with grated zest and a splash of juice from a Mandarin, but if you don’t like this fruit, Lemon or Orange will be just fine. Alternatively, vanilla or cinnamon will also work.
