Le Chiacchiere

Italian Carnival Fried Pastries

Le chiacchiere

Recommended track: No rain – Blind Melon

Ingredients:

500 g white flour

50 g butter

75 g sugar

5 egg yolks

1/2 packet of vanilla powder

1/2 packet of baking powder (Lievito per dolci, about 8 g)

1/2 small glass of liqueur

Milk, as needed for kneading

• In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the milk. Add the milk gradually, little by little, as the dough begins to come together. The dough should be rather firm and dry, so be careful not to add too much liquid.
• Transfer the dough onto a work surface and knead until smooth. Shape it into a ball, place it in a plastic bag, and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

• To roll out the dough, using a pasta machine can be very helpful—whether an old-fashioned manual one or a more modern version like mine. If you don’t have a pasta machine, you can still roll it out by hand with a rolling pin. In that case, make the dough slightly softer (adding just a little more milk) and use some good old-fashioned elbow grease! The chiacchiere will turn out a bit thicker but just as delicious.

• For those using a pasta machine, take a small piece of dough at a time and gradually roll it thinner, moving from the widest setting to a thinner one (usually the second-to-last, depending on the machine). If you prefer slightly thicker chiacchiere, stop at the third-to-last setting.
• Now, using a fluted pastry cutter, cut the dough into diamond shapes of your preferred size. Make a small slit in the center of each piece and pull one end of the diamond through it—voilà! You’ve just shaped your first chiacchiera… only 149 more to go!

• I am absolutely Team Lard when it comes to frying—it’s perfect for temperature control and crispiness! But since I know we’re a rare breed, we opted for vegetable oil to please everyone (including family members!).
• Always fry in a deep pan with plenty of oil. If you have a thermometer, check that the temperature is around 160°C (320°F).
• Fry each chiacchiera for about 20 seconds on one side and slightly less on the other, then drain, transfer to a tray, and dust generously with powdered sugar.