The Iginio Massari’s chiacchiere are the Carnival desserts symbolic of this period. Just like his castagnole, this recipe by the master is perfect. Although the recipe and ingredients used are very simple, it is necessary to follow a few simple tips to prepare them to have light, crunchy chiacchiere with lots of bubbles.
Among the tips that Master Massari gives to prepare excellent Carnival chiacchiere is to use a strong flour like Manitoba because it allows the dough to be elastic and absorb less oil when frying. The master also suggests letting the dough rest so that the gluten relaxes and it is easier to roll out thinly.
Another very important tip is to use a liqueur, as the alcohol evaporates quickly during cooking, promoting bubble formation.
I followed his tips while preparing this recipe and I was really very satisfied with the result. The chiacchiere can also be prepared with a rolling pin, but I suggest using a pasta machine. I tried both ways and I think you get better results because the dough is worked better and the chiacchiere become thinner and stay crunchy longer.
For other frying tips, do not miss my article on how to fry sweet and savory foods perfectly!
Without further ado, I just tell you to try them because the master’s name is a true guarantee. I followed the original recipe, except for using limoncello instead of Marsala and vanillin instead of vanilla pod because I did not have them at home.
Well, now let’s move on to the recipe and see how to prepare these delicious Iginio Massari chiacchiere, but first, I’ll leave you some links to other delicious Carnival recipes that might interest you.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6People
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Carnival
- Energy 604.33 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 70.31 (g) of which sugars 15.32 (g)
- Proteins 14.92 (g)
- Fat 28.51 (g) of which saturated 8.27 (g)of which unsaturated 18.50 (g)
- Fibers 1.92 (g)
- Sodium 362.99 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 143 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 Iginio Massari’s Chiacchiere
- 4 cups Manitoba flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs (about 3 medium eggs)
- 3 1/2 tbsp Marsala
- as needed lemon zest (grated – 1 lemon)
- 1 pod vanilla (or 1 packet of vanillin)
- as needed sunflower seed oil (preferably high oleic)
- as needed vanilla powdered sugar
Tools
- Pasta Machines
- Mixer
- Thermometer
- Pastry Wheel
- Frying pan
- Skimmer
- Paper towels
Steps to prepare Iginio Massari’s Chiacchiere
Let’s see together how to prepare Iginio Massari’s chiacchiere. I used a stand mixer to work the dough, but you can also use the Bimby or do it by hand.
Before starting, I recommend taking out both the eggs and butter from the fridge a little in advance so you can use them at room temperature.
In the stand mixer bowl, place the flour, granulated sugar, and the soft butter.
Add the salt and the Marsala. As I mentioned before, I used limoncello because I didn’t have Marsala at home.
Beat 3 medium eggs in a separate bowl and weigh 175 g. It’s very important to be precise about the egg weight because it could unbalance the recipe and cause a different texture than intended.
Also add the grated zest of one lemon, preferably organic. Be careful to grate only the yellow part because the white part is bitter.
Add the vanilla bean seeds. In this case, not having it available, I opted for a packet of vanillin (but a vanilla pod or vanilla extract is much better).
Start mixing the ingredients for a few minutes at low speed with the dough hook.
You should obtain a smooth and firm dough.
Take the dough from the stand mixer bowl, flatten it to a thickness of about 1/2 inch, and wrap it in plastic wrap.
Place it in the fridge and let the dough rest for at least 1-2 hours.
After the resting time, take the dough, divide it into 3-4 parts. It will be easier to roll out the dough piece by piece.
If you use a rolling pin, roll it out very thinly. You should get an almost transparent sheet. If instead, you use a pasta machine, run the dough through several times, gradually moving to the thinnest setting, until you reach a thickness of 1 mm.
With the pastry wheel, create squares of about 4 inches per side and make two cuts in the center to allow moisture to escape more quickly from the dough. You can re-knead the trimmings or simply make slightly irregular chiacchiere.
Continue until the dough is used up.
Heat plenty of sunflower seed oil in a frying pan. Master Massari recommends an ideal frying temperature of 350°F. You can easily measure it with a common kitchen thermometer. If you don’t have one, put a small piece of dough in the oil: as soon as it starts to bubble and rise to the surface, the oil is ready.
Fry a few chiacchiere at a time: they need only a few seconds of cooking on each side.
When they are slightly golden, drain them on paper towels or, as master Massari suggests, let them drain vertically on a rack.
When they are cold, place Iginio Massari’s chiacchiere on a tray, sprinkle them with powdered sugar, and enjoy their deliciousness.
Storage
– Iginio Massari’s chiacchiere can be stored for a few days in a well-sealed container or a tin box. To preserve crispness, I recommend storing them without powdered sugar and sprinkling it only at the time of consumption because powdered sugar can moisten them and make them softer over time.
FAQ
Can Iginio Massari’s chiacchiere be baked?
Yes, chiacchiere can be baked at 356°F for about 10 minutes. Obviously, the texture of baked chiacchiere will be different from fried ones, as they will be less crispy.
Why did the chiacchiere come out without bubbles?
There can be several reasons: the dough wasn’t kneaded well, the oil temperature wasn’t correct, or the dough wasn’t thin enough.
How can I substitute Marsala in the chiacchiere?
You can substitute Marsala with any other available liqueur: limoncello, grappa, or even white wine or sparkling wine. The important thing is that it is alcoholic.
