Carnival Chatters, my super tested recipe.
What do you say, shall we have a chat? They are delicate and crispy fried doughs typical of the Carnival period and are called by different names depending on the regions of origin. I care a lot about this recipe, tested over the years. Easy to make, get ready because one chatter leads to another.
Enjoy your Chatters, Giusi.
You might also be interested in:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6People
- Cooking methods: Stove, Deep Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for the Chatters
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or 00)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp softened butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp vin santo (Or Rum, Marsala)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Half orange (zested)
Steps for the Chatters
In a bowl, pour the sugar and the orange zest (or lemon) and work well with your hands: this little secret will help release all the aroma of the citrus fruits.
Add the eggs and the soft butter, and start to mix the batter.
Pour in the alcohol, the baking powder, and the flour sifted previously, adding it in stages to absorb well.
Transfer the dough onto a floured board and work it until the dough becomes compact but soft; if necessary, add a little more flour to prevent it from sticking.Wrap the dough and let it rest for an hour in the fridge, so that the gluten mesh relaxes perfectly.
Roll out the dough very thinly on a floured surface; for convenience, I divided the dough into two parts to work it better and obtain a very thin sheet. Use a cutter or a knife to create strips or rectangles, depending on the shape you prefer, and prepare all the pieces before moving to the stove.
Heat plenty of vegetable oil and fry a few chatters at a time until golden and full of bubbles.
Drain them on absorbent paper and, once cold, generously dust with powdered sugar.
Tips and Variations
You can safely omit the alcohol if you prefer.
Also, you can replace the lemon zest with orange zest for a more intense and citrusy aroma.
For frying, remember these essential rules:
Use the toothpick trick to check if the oil is ready: dip the tip of a wooden toothpick into the hot oil; if you see bubbles immediately form around the wood, the temperature is ideal to start frying.
Pay attention to the foam that can form on the surface: if it becomes excessive, it means the oil is exhausted or there is too much residual flour in the dough. In this case, strain the oil or replace it to keep the frying light and dry.
Keep the oil temperature constant; if the oil is too cold, the chatters will absorb fat, if it’s too hot, they will burn on the outside.
Fry in plenty of oil and do not overcrowd the pan, as putting too many pieces at once lowers the temperature.
