Carnival fritters are the most characteristic treat of this joyful and fun celebration, something that simply cannot be absent from the table during the festive days. At my place, they have always been an unmissable tradition, along with the castagnole, and each year we look forward to preparing and enjoying them while they are still warm.
I call them chiacchiere, but I know that in many regions they are also called frappe, cenci, or carnival lies: different names for the same thin, crispy, and fragrant dessert that everyone agrees on.
The recipe I prepare is very easy and within everyone’s reach, with just a few simple ingredients that you surely already have in your pantry. The dough is worked in a few minutes and, once rolled out thin, gives light, crumbly, and irresistible fritters.
I always prepare them this way because it is the version that turns out best for me and that my family likes the most. If you love homemade Carnival sweets, after these fritters, I recommend trying the castagnole and fritters, perfect to share during the festive days.
Now there’s nothing left to do but get to work: hands in the dough and follow me step by step in the recipe for my Carnival fritters.
See you soon, Susy
Also try:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Low cost
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Carnival
- Energy 53.49 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 8.55 (g) of which sugars 1.82 (g)
- Proteins 1.54 (g)
- Fat 1.40 (g) of which saturated 0.78 (g)of which unsaturated 0.55 (g)
- Fibers 0.22 (g)
- Sodium 20.57 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 20 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for the Carnival fritters
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsps butter
- 3 tbsps sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp white rum (or Strega liqueur)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 lemon zest
- as needed peanut oil
- as needed powdered sugar
Useful tools
- Work surface
- Pastry wheel
- Rolling pin
- Stand mixer
- Deep pan
- Tongs
Preparing the Carnival fritters
On the work surface, place the sifted flours and form a classic fountain. Crack the eggs in the center and beat them slightly with a fork along with a pinch of salt. Add the sugar, softened butter in pieces, rum, and grated lemon zest.
Start kneading, gradually incorporating the flour, until you get a homogeneous dough. Continue working it by hand until it becomes smooth, elastic, and compact. Form a dough ball, wrap it in cling film, and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes, covered with a kitchen towel.
After the resting time, divide the dough into smaller portions. Roll each piece until you get a very thin sheet. I used the pasta attachment of my Kenwood stand mixer, but the classic pasta machine works just fine too.
With a pastry wheel, cut out rectangles and make one or two cuts in the center of each strip.
Heat plenty of peanut oil to about 340 °F. Fry a few fritters at a time, turning them gently until they are well golden and crispy.
Drain them on paper towels and, once completely cool, generously sprinkle them with powdered sugar.
Storage and useful tips
Carnival fritters keep very well for 2–3 days, stored in a tin container or a food bag, preferably without an airtight lid, so they stay crispy longer. Avoid the refrigerator, as moisture would make them soft.
For an alcohol-free version, you can simply leave out the rum or replace it with orange or lemon juice, still maintaining a delicate aroma.
If you want an even crispier effect, roll the dough as thin as possible and fry it in hot and clean oil, without lowering the temperature. Fry a few fritters at a time: this little trick makes a real difference.
For a oven version, place the fritters on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 356 °F for about 12–15 minutes, until they are slightly golden. The result will be different from frying, but still light and pleasant.
If you need a gluten-free version, you can use a specific gluten-free baking mix, rolling out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to facilitate the process.
