Chiacchiere, Italian Carnival Fried Pastries (or Frappe, Cenci, Bugie)

These fried pastries are a traditional italian dessert served during Carnival. Each regions has his own version and go under different names according to the place they come from: Chiacchiere, Frappe, Cenci and Bugie, to name just a few.
Be careful, they are quite addictive, so if you try one you won’t be able to stop eating them...
This recipe is from the Italian chef Anna Moroni.

Ingredients

• Pain Flour, 500g
• Softened Butter, 50g
• Eggs, 2
• Sugar, 2 Tbsp
• Anisette Liqueur (or Sambuca or Grappa), 50g
• Grated Zest of a Lemon
• White Wine, as required (approx. 100g)
• Pinch of Salt

You will also need:

• Peanut Oil for frying
• Icing Sugar for dusting

Step 1

On a surface or board, make a well in the flour and pour the eggs into it. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the wine) and mix together, adding the wine gradually. Stop adding the wine when the dough is firm but elastic, and doesn’t stick to the surface. Knead for about 15-20 minutes.
Wrap in cling film and transfer to the fridge to rest for at least an hour.

Step 2

Flour the surface and the rolling pin, and roll out the dough to a very thin sheet, flouring the surface if required. It is important that the sheet is very, very thin.



Step 3

Using a pastry wheel, cut the dough into strips (approx. 5x10 cm) and then make three vertical incisions on each strip.
Heat the frying oil in a deep pan. When hot (but not too much) fry the dough rectangles until lightly golden. It is important that you do not fry them for too long. As soon as you see the colour turning light golden, scoop them out and drain off the oil on kitchen paper. Sprinkle generously with icing sugar.
Serve warm or cold.






Chiacchiere (Frappe, Cenci, Bugie, etc.)

Ingredienti

• Farina 00, 500g
• Burro morbido, 50g
• Uova, 2
• Zuchero, 2 cucchiai
• Anisetta (o Sambuca or Grappa), 50g
• Scorza grattugiata di un limone
• Vino bianco, q.b.
• Un pizzico di sale
• Olio di semi di arachidi per friggere
• Zucchero a velo

Procedimento

Step 1

Versare la farina sul piano di lavoro, fare un buco nel centro, e versarvi le uova. Aggiungere tutti gli altri ingredienti iniziando ad amalgamare ed impastare il tutto. Attenzione a non aggiungere il vino tutto in una sola volta. Deve essere aggiunto all’impasto gradualmente, fino a quando si ottiene un impasto consistente ma elastico, e che non si attacchi alla superficie.
Impastare per 15-20 minuti.
Ricoprire con della pellicola alimentare e trasferire in frigo a riposare per almeno un’ora.

Step 2

Infarinare leggermente il piano di lavoro ed il mattarello, e stendere la pasta fino ad ottenere una sfoglia sottilissima.

Step 3

Tagliare la sfoglia in rettangoli di circa 5x10 cm, e fare due o tre tagli in senso verticale su ogni pezzo di pasta.
Friggere in olio caldo per poco tempo. Le chiacchiere si devono dorare leggermente, attenzione a non farle scurire troppo. Passarle su carta da cucina per rimuovere l’eccesso di olio.
Spolverizzare con abbondante zucchero a velo.

Fatti Fritti - Sardinian Carnival Doughnuts

Fatti-Fritti are a Sardinian Carnival speciality.
We do not celebrate Carnival here in the UK - except for the Notting Hill Carnival, but I decided to celebrate it anyway!
There are so many different ways to prepare Zippulas.
I decided to try this recipe from ‘I Dolci di Pinella’, one of my favourite Italian food blogs. The result was great. Enjoy, and Happy Carnival.

Ingredients

• Plain Flour, 500g (I mixed 300g of Italian Flour ‘OO’ type, with 200g of strong white bread flour)
• Sugar, 75g
• Lard (liquified), 75g
• Eggs, 2
• Dried Active Yeast,15g
• Whole Milk, 130g
• Juice of an orange
• Grated zest of an orange and a lemon
• Filu e Ferru Liquor (or grappa, or sambuca), 3 tbsp
• Pinch of salt

You will also need

• Peanut Oil for deep frying
• White Sugar to sprinkle over the doughnuts

Notes: You will end up with a very sticky dough. For this reason, I decided to use a kitchen mixer. If you don’t have one, you can work the dough by hand, but be aware that it will stick to your hands quite a lot.

Method

Step 1

Dissolve the yeast in 130g of warm milk. Leave it in a warm place until the surface is covered with approx. 2 cm of froth (10-15 minutes).
In a kitchen mixer - Beat the eggs with the sugar and a pinch of salt for 2-3 minutes. Start adding all of the remaining ingredients gradually and mix for 20-30 minutes.
You should obtain a very soft, sticky and elastic dough.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Step 2

Sprinkle some flour on the work surface.
Divide the dough into pieces, forming ring shapes (of the size of ring doughnuts).

Important: The dough is quite sticky, so use flour liberally to form the rings. Be aware that the rings will have to rise for another hour, so it is important that you flour them very well, but not too much.

Place the rings onto a well-floured surface, cover with a clean towel and let rise for about an hour.



Step 3

Preheat the oil in a pan to approx. 170 degrees C. Gently place the doughnuts into the oil, 3 to 4 at a time, depending on the size of the pan. Cook for about 1 minute per side or until lightly golden. Drain on paper towel and sprinkle liberally with white sugar.

Fatti-Fritti- Ricetta di Pinella (http://idolcidipinella.blogspot.com/)

Per questi dolci ho seguito la ricetta di Pinella. L’unica differenza e’ che io ho dimezzato le dosi e usato il lievito secco, anziche’ quello fresco.

Sardinian Almond Meringues (Bianchini, Meringhe Sarde)

January is a depressing month for me, mainly because of the ‘self-imposed’ new year’s resolutions (losing weight is ‘obviously’ one of them!).
However I could not refrain myself from starting making sweets again, sorry! I have obviously promised myself to eat only one.. yes, only one.. of these nice, sweet, super-light meringues.
This is a Sardinian recipe, given to me by my mother in law.

Ingredients

• Egg whites, 150g (3-4 days old)
• White sugar, 300g
• Toasted almond flakes, 100g
• Lemon juice, 2 tbsp
• Zest of a lemon
• A pinch of salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 100° and set non-stick paper on 2 large baking sheets.
In a very clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt to soft peaks and gradually add the sugar until stiff.
Fold in the chopped almond flakes and the lemon zest, working with upward movements. The mixture is now ready to be piped onto the baking sheets.
Cook on a low shelf for 1 hour and and 20/30 minutes at 100°.
Leave to cool on the trays or a cooling rack.

Meringhe alle Mandorle (Bianchini)

Ingredienti

• Albumi, 150g (meglio se di 3-4 giorni)
• Zucchero, 300g
• Mandore tostate in scaglie, 100g
• Succo di limone, 2 cucchiai
• Scorza grattugiata di un limone
• Un pizzico di sale

Procedimento

Riscaldare il forno a 100° e preparare due placche su cui avrete steso della carta da forno. Versare gli albumi, il succo di limone ed un pizzico di sale in una ciotola molto pulita, che non abbia nessun residuo di grasso.
Con uno sbattitore montare gli albumi a neve, aggiungendo lo zucchero gradualmente. Quando il composto e’ ben fermo e compatto aggiungere le mandorle tostate e tagliuzzate e la scorza di limone grattugiata.
Con una sacca da pasticciere formare le meringhe sulle placche da forno e cuocere a 100° per un’ora e 20/30 minuti circa. Lasciare reffreddare.