“I can’t be left alone in the room with them,” I told my sister with a very serious tone. And I wasn’t kidding. As a frequent home baker, over the years, I have pretty much learned self-control. As much as I love baking and having something sweet to go with my after dinner espresso, I am definitely a sharer as well. I frequently bake and immediately give away much of my efforts to neighbors, friends or even the mailman! And if I don’t give away the fruits of my labor, I will enjoy them with family over several days. Rarely over doing it, for the sake of health or overindulgence. I find that giving goodies away permits me to bake more often, which also gives me the ability to try different recipes on a more frequent basis.
All that said, the rules change completely when it comes to chiacchiere. I don’t show any self-control, nor do I share! These crispy pieces of sweet dough are fried and immediately dusted with confectionary sugar. They are very, very addictive! Much like potato chips, it is impossible to eat just one! And like I told my sister, I can’t be left alone in the room with them! And I am not even kidding! Over indulgence is almost a sure bet with these. They are most often eaten during carnival season in Italy. The period before lent in which overeating, in preparation of the more restrictive period of lent, is almost a given. The word “chiacchiere” loosely translates to “small talk” or “chatter” in English. More than that, it means a few laughs. In Italy, you’ll often hear people say something like “C’i incontriamo per due chiacchiere?” Or “Shall we meet for a few laughs?” There are various variations of these, much like most Italian dishes. Many add white wine, some add grappa and many add citrus zest. These here are vanilla and when sweeten with the confectionary sugar, they are just perfect! If you have anise liquor or white wine, you can add a few tablespoons here, in place of the milk. You can also add citrus zest, but if you do, I suggest leaving out the vanilla or the anise liquor as those flavors to not blend well with the zest of lemon or orange. Truth be told, these are not very lazy. In fact, if you have an extra set of hands, it will make the process of rolling the dough in the pasta machine that much easier. They are a great Sunday afternoon activity. If you do not have a helper in the kitchen, you can still make them just as easily; just give yourself at least an hour’s time from start to finish. And be prepared to munch on these all day long. They go well with coffee, tea, wine, anisette liquor or all by themselves! This recipe makes about 70 pieces.
Chiacchiere
4 cups of flour ½ cup sugar 3 large eggs, slightly beaten 4 tablespoons butter, melted 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 2 – 5 tablespoons of milk 4 – 5 cups of vegetable oil for frying Confectionary sugar for topping Specials tools required: pasta machine
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2 Comments
Antonio Toto
2/18/2017 08:19:59 am
I love these recipes-they are very special. Pre t more!!!
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Carmela Remsen
2/18/2017 10:07:58 pm
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Hi there, thanks for visiting my blog! Here you will find recipes, short stories, tales, rants and whatever else is on my mind with regards to food, Italy, travel and along those lines. Drop me a line, I'd love to hear from you! Archives
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