Today we see the recipe for carnival cenci, a typical carnival dessert prepared in Tuscany. The appearance is very similar to chiacchiere or frappe, but with some modifications in the dough, the preparation is not difficult and requires only small precautions.
If you are looking for Carnival recipes, don’t forget to check out other carnival recipes like
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Carnival
- Energy 315.48 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 51.12 (g) of which sugars 21.61 (g)
- Proteins 7.14 (g)
- Fat 8.98 (g) of which saturated 5.31 (g)of which unsaturated 3.41 (g)
- Fibers 0.92 (g)
- Sodium 30.30 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 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
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup vin santo
- as needed powdered sugar
Tools
- 1 Pot (with a capacity of 3 liters)
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Pasta maker
Procedure
Tuscan cenci, unlike chiacchiere and frappe, do not contain yeast. The presence of vin santo allows the dough to rise even without it.
Put the ingredients in the bowl, create a well, add the butter, egg, sugar, and knead until you get a firm and elastic dough.
If you have a mixer, put everything together in the bowl and knead for 5-6 minutes at medium speed.
Once you have the ball of dough, let it rest for 30 minutes (no need for the fridge) in a bowl covered with food paper.
After resting, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/8 inch. You can do this with a rolling pin or use a pasta maker.
Prepare rectangular sheets of dough and, with the help of a fluted wheel, give them the classic shape.
Cut the edges and create rectangles of 6 inches x 3 inches. Make one or two cuts in the center so that in cooking, the Tuscan cenci can open and inflate properly.
Tip: You can use various types of oil; for Carnival sweets, I recommend sunflower oil. The cooking of sweets takes place at about 300-320°F
Put the oil on the heat and test the temperature with dough balls. Once the oil is at the right temperature, start frying.
Use a slotted spoon to immerse and retrieve the Tuscan cenci in the hot oil.
Fry the cenci a few at a time, 3-4 maximum, or you risk lowering the oil temperature too much. Cold oil will make the fried food soggy and wet, so few at a time is better!
The cenci are ready when they have a uniform color on both sides.
As soon as you take them out of the pot, place them to dry on a sheet of paper towel.
Let them cool and dry and finish with a generous dose of powdered sugar!
Your carnival cenci are ready!
Plating Tips:
Classic presentation, a nice plate, and a sprinkle of powdered sugar as if it were a snowy day!
Wine Pairing for Carnival Cenci:
I recommend a classic Chianti vin santo, a classic and traditional pairing. If you’re looking for a unique pairing, you can try your Tuscan cenci with a meditative dessert wine.
