Chiacchiere (Frappe / Cenci)
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Origin
Region: All regions (Ubiquitous under different regional names)
Historical Context: Descended directly from the ancient Roman frictilia, which were sweets fried in pork fat during the winter festival of Saturnalia. Today, they are eaten exclusively during Carnival (Carnevale).
Description
Paper-thin sheets of sweet pastry dough scented with orange zest and grappa, fried rapidly in clean oil until they balloon with hundreds of brittle micro-bubbles, and covered in a snowstorm of powdered sugar.
Presentation
Piled loosely into enormous pyramids inside shallow serving bowls, allowing guests to break off crispy shards by hand.
Ingredients
300g all-purpose flour
40g granulated sugar
50g unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
30ml grappa (or white wine / rum)
Zest of 1 fresh lemon
A pinch of salt
Neutral oil with a high smoke point (like peanut oil) for frying
Abundant powdered sugar for dusting
Step-by-Step Directions
Knead Dough: Combine the flour, sugar, eggs, softened butter, lemon zest, salt, and grappa in a bowl. Knead for 10 minutes until a very smooth, dense, satiny dough forms. Wrap in plastic and rest for 30 minutes.
Roll Paper-Thin: Divide the dough into four pieces. Run each portion through a crank pasta machine repeatedly, narrowing the settings until the sheets are paper-thin and nearly translucent.
Cut Shapes: Use a fluted pastry cutter wheel to slice the thin dough sheets into rectangles roughly 2x4 inches. Cut 1 or 2 small parallel slits down the center of each rectangle to help them expand evenly.
Heat Oil: Pour frying oil into a wide, deep skillet and bring it to 175°C (350°F).
Flash Fry: Fry 3–4 strips at a time. They will puff up with bubbles instantly; cook for just 30–45 seconds per side until light golden-cream. Do not let them turn dark brown.
Drain and Dust: Remove with a skimmer and drain on paper towels. Let cool for 5 minutes, then dust both sides generously with a thick coating of powdered sugar.
Optional Variations
Chiacchiere al Forno: A lighter modern alternative where the pastry ribbons are arranged on baking sheets and baked at 190°C (375°F) for 10 minutes until puffed and crisp.
Cooking Tips
The dough must be rolled out as thin as humanly possible. If the dough is too thick, the ribbons will fry into tough, heavy crackers instead of delicate, shatteringly light pastry shards.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 190 kcal
Carbohydrates: 26g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 8g
Sodium: 45mg
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