CHIACCHIERE are one of the emblematic sweets of Carnival, a festive and abundant period before Lent. Their lightness and crispiness make them irresistible.
A legend says the name “chiacchiere” was born at the court of Queen Margherita of Savoy. One day, while conversing with her cook Raffaele Esposito, she asked for a light pastry to accompany her chatter. The cook invented these fried sheets and aptly called them “chiacchiere” in the queen’s honor.
The tradition of “frappe” likely goes back to the frictilia, fried pastries prepared in ancient Rome during the period corresponding to today’s Carnival.
They have the shape of a strip, sometimes twisted into a knot (in some areas they are called little bows).
The base is a dough of flour, eggs, butter, sugar and a splash of liqueur for aroma and flakiness. They are then rolled very thin and fried or baked.
They are perfect to enjoy on their own with a dusting of powdered sugar or accompanied by honey, melted chocolate or other sweet creams.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Carnival
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour (type 00)
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1/3 cup Granulated sugar
- Salt
- 2 Eggs (medium, at room temperature)
- 2 tbsp Butter (softened)
- 2 tsp Rum (or grappa)
- Lemon zest
- 1 1/4 cups Peanut oil
- as needed Powdered sugar
What you’ll need for chiacchiere
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Pasta machine
- 1 Work surface
- 1 Pastry wheel
- 1 Pan
- Paper towels
Preparing chiacchiere
In a large bowl put the sifted flour and baking powder, the softened butter in small pieces, the sugar, the beaten eggs, the rum, the grated lemon zest and a pinch of salt.
Knead all the ingredients and work for a long time until you obtain a smooth and elastic dough. Depending on the size of the eggs you might need a little extra flour so that the dough is not sticky.
Form a ball, cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes roll out a very thin sheet with a pasta roller (thickness 4) or with a rolling pin.
Cut strips and then, using a pastry wheel, make many rectangles and make a cut in the center of each.Fry the chiacchiere, a few at a time, in plenty of hot oil, drain them with a slotted spoon when golden and place them on paper towels.
Let your delicious and crispy chiacchiere cool and dust them generously with powdered sugar.
