It’s coming up to Carnival time and bakeries in Italy have trays of ‘chiacchiere’ in their windows. Think a pastry that is thin, crispy, fried and covered in icing sugar…. I knew that would get your attention! We would have these when I was growing up in Australia only when my Calabrese Nonna Concetta would make them. I’ve always called them ‘Crostoli’, and their name changes throughout Italy. The recipe remains more or less the same, the only real difference I noticed was that some people don’t add butter or fat to the recipe.
Whatever you prefer to call them, there is no denying that they are addictively delicious, and impossible to eat just one © Toni Brancatisano
I recently asked on Facebook what people called these where they were from in Italy, and although Chiacchiere was the most common name, they are also known in various regions of Italy as: Crostoli – Cenci – Frappe – Sfrappe – Sfrappole – Bugie – Stracci – Fiocchi – Cencetti – Galani – Sprelle – Meraviglias – Teste di Turchi – Intrigoni – Monachelle – Straccetti – Nacatoli – Grostoli – Gali. A couple of these are dialect, but I found it fascinating that one traditional sweet pastry can be called so many different names.
It is surprisingly easy to make chiacchiere! © Toni Brancatisano
Whatever you prefer to call them, there is no denying that they are addictively delicious, and impossible to eat just one. They are not at all difficult to make, although a pasta machine will make your life a little easier. This recipe comes the closest to resembling the crostoli my Nonna would make, and tasting them again invoked nostalgic childhood memories.
Chiacchiere are light and crispy, even if they are deep fried! © Toni Brancatisano
CHIACCHIERE
•10 1/2 oz plain flour
•7 oz self-rising flour
*(Alternatively, you can use 17.5 oz plain flour and add 0.28 oz of powdered yeast)
•3 whole eggs + 1 egg yolk (lightly beaten)
•2 oz butter, room temperature
•2 tablespoons grappa
•pinch salt
•3 oz sugar
•zest of 1 lemon
•sunflower or peanut oil for frying
•icing sugar
Whatever you prefer to call them, there is no denying that they are addictively delicious, and impossible to eat just one © Toni Brancatisano
Directions
1. In an electric mixer, add sifted flour, sugar, eggs, grappa, salt and lemon zest and mix until well combined. Using a dough hook, add the butter, and mix until a dough forms.
2. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth. You may have to add a little water if the dough seems crumbly or dry. Roll into a ball, cover in plastic kitchen wrap and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
3. Divide dough into 4. Keep unused dough wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Knead dough and roll out with the use of a rolling pin. The next part is like making pasta. Flatten the end of the piece of dough with the palm of your hand, and using a pasta machine pass it through once on the largest setting. (My pasta machine is the attachment for my Kitchen Aid, and the largest gap is No. 1.)
4. Fold the dough in 3 and pass it through No. 1 another time. Repeat passing it through the pasta machine, increasing the number each time, and finish at No. 5. (If you don’t own a pasta machine, you can roll out the pasta by hand, just ensure your dough is very thin.)
5. Using a zig-zag pastry cutter, cut the pastry into strips. Cut a small line in the middle of each strip, and then fold one end in and under through the middle space. (see photos). Some people don’t do this. and you can choose to cook them without twisting the central part if you like.
6. Leave prepared raw chiacchiere to rest for a couple of minutes and heat oil in a saucepan or deep frying pan to a temperature of about 180°C. (Test oil with a scrap of dough).
7. Work quickly, add 3 chiacchiere, turn them over, and remove draining on kitchen paper. Repeat until you have cooked them all, and continue until you have used all remaining dough.
8. Serve sprinkled with icing sugar. Store in an airtight container.
This recipe is easy to follow, just make sure you take your time cooking the rice © Toni Brancatisano
FRITTELLE DI RISO
Continuing with Italian carnival traditions, this recipe is a classic, especially in Tuscany. Think of that delicious rice pudding you would have as a child, and imagine it rolled into balls, fried, and covered in sugar. That’s the best description I have to describe these delicious treats which I would also class as an italian ‘comfort food’. When I used to live in Pietrasanta, a naughty breakfast during carnival time would be hot ‘frittelle di riso’ with my cappuccino!
These delicious fritters are typical of Tuscany © Toni Brancatisano
This recipe is easy to follow, just make sure you take your time cooking the rice. The rice used for this recipe in Italian is called Riso Originario. Its characteristics include having a grain that is small, round, with a high starch content. It is best for sushi, soups and especially for desserts. You can use any white starchy rice though, and the rice ideally needs to be cooked the night before you plan to make your frittelle. Not everybody rolls the rice mixture into flour before frying them, but it helps keep them together and especially helps have perfect balls. (Note that in most places, frittelle aren’t all perfect and uniform in size or shape).
FRITTELLE DI RISO
•7 oz white rice (originario)
•13.5 floz whole milk
•13.5 floz water
•3.5 oz sugar
•zest of 1 lemon
•2 oz butter
•2 eggs
•pinch salt
•3 oz flour (3/4 Cup) + extra
•oil for frying
If you want, you can add some cinnamon to the sugar, too! © Toni Brancatisano
DIRECTIONS
1. In a heavy saucepan, add the rice, milk, water, salt and lemon zest. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Once rice is boiling, lower heat and allow to simmer.
2. Add sugar and butter, and continue to simmer until rice has absorbed all liquid. (Stir occasionally to avoid rice sticking to bottom of saucepan.) Leave to cool completely, cover and place overnight in refrigerator.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, and flour. Stir through with a spoon, until both eggs and flour are incorporated evenly into rice mixture.
4. Using a tablespoon measure, remove rice and drop into a bowl of flour. Roll rice into balls and put aside.
5. Heat oil and test with a little rice to see if it has arrived at an appropriate temperature for frying. Drop rice balls into the oil, and turn frequently to ensure they brown all over. Remove when golden, and allow to drain on kitchen paper.
6. Roll in sugar and serve while still warm. You can add a pinch of cinnamon to the sugar if you like.
*Alternate recipe would be to add sultanas (previously soaked in port) or candied peel to rice mixture once it’s cooked.
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