Chiacchiere Ripiene per il Carnevale
Can I tempt you with some chiacchiere, frappe, cenci, guanti or bugie ripiene? Just reading the names already tells you how deeply regional these pastries are. Every part of Italy seems to claim them as their own, renaming them, shaping them slightly differently, yet always recognising them instantly. Despite the many names, the dough, the method and the ritual remain remarkably similar - thinly rolled, quickly fried, and dusted generously with sugar. When filled with your favourite jam or Nutella - yes, that famous chocolate spread - they take on the added verb ripiene, becoming chiacchiere ripiene.
Il Carnevale is one of Italy’s most exuberant winter celebrations, beginning forty days before Easter. Its name is often linked to the Latin carne levare - to remove meat, a reminder that this was the final moment to indulge before the restraint of Lent. Long before Christianity, ancient Roman festivals like Saturnalia celebrated excess, disguise and shared food - traditions that still echo in today’s masks, laughter and frying oil bubbling in home kitchens.
These sweets are part of that memory-making. Made with humble pantry staples - flour, eggs, butter, sugar and a hint of flavouring - they were often prepared in batches, enough to share, enough to last a few days, enough to mark the season. For many families, the name you use says as much about where you come from as the recipe itself - a reminder that Carnevale is not just a date on the calendar, but something remembered, repeated and passed on.
Le Chiacchiere Ripiene (Sweet Fried Pastry filled with Quince)
This recipe for chiacchiere ripiene is adapted from my maternal grandmother’s recipe and filled with my own quince jam. You can find the jam recipe here.
Ingredients
Dough
240 g plain flour
20 g caster sugar
2 tbsp vegetable oil or 20 g unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
½ cup brandy
Pinch of salt
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon or orange
To fry
Vegetable or Bran oil, for deep frying
Icing sugar, for dusting
Filling
Jam of choice, Nutella, or quince jam (about 1 tsp per serve)
Method
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, caster sugar, salt and grated citrus rind.
In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the oil (or melted butter) and brandy. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Cover with cling wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into manageable pieces. Using a pasta machine — or a rolling pin, as my grandmother did — roll the dough out to approximately 2 mm thickness.
Using a serrated pastry wheel, cut the dough into strips about 5 cm wide, then cut into squares of the same measurement.
Place a teaspoon of jam in the centre of one square. Lightly moisten the edges with water, then place another square on top, positioned diagonally. Press firmly around the edges to seal well, ensuring the filling won’t escape during frying.
Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan to 170°C. Fry the chiacchiere in batches (do not overcrowd), cooking one side until lightly golden, then turning carefully with a fork or slotted spoon. If sealed properly, they will puff up without splitting.
Remove from the oil and drain on paper towel. Once all are cooked, transfer to a serving dish and dust generously with icing sugar.
Indulge and enjoy!
Comments
Post a Comment