Stuffed Chiacchiere

Stuffed chiacchiere are a delicious variant of the classic chiacchiere, typical of the Carnival period in Italy. This version is enriched with a filling that can vary according to taste, but now let’s see a basic recipe that you can customize as you prefer.

Ingredients

• 300 grams of 00 flour
• 50 grams of sugar
• 50 grams of soft butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 pinch of salt
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (organic if possible)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or a bit of vanillin)
• 2 tablespoons of orange liqueur (such as Cointreau) or other liqueur of your choice
• Oil for frying

For the filling:

• 250 grams of well-drained ricotta
• Powdered sugar to taste
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (optional)
• Chocolate chips or jam to taste

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, sift the flour and make a well.
2. Add the eggs, sugar, soft butter, pinch of salt, grated lemon zest, and vanilla extract into the center.
3. Start to knead the ingredients from the center, gradually incorporating the flour, until you get a homogeneous mixture.
4. Add the liqueur and continue to work the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. If necessary, add more flour.
5. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
6. In the meantime, prepare the filling by mixing the ricotta with the powdered sugar (adjust the amount according to your taste), the cinnamon, and the chocolate chips or jam.
7. Take the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin into a thin sheet.
8. Cut rectangles of dough and place a spoonful of the filling on one half of each rectangle, leaving a free margin on the edges.
9. Fold the other half of the rectangle over the filling and seal the edges by pressing with your fingers or with the tines of a fork.
10. Fry the stuffed chiacchiere in hot oil until they become golden and crispy.
11. Drain them on paper towels and, once they have cooled, dust them with powdered sugar.

Curiosity

Chiacchiere have different names depending on the Italian region you find yourself in: frappe, cenci, bugie, crostoli, just to name a few. Their origin is very ancient and lost in time, but what is certain is that they represent one of the most beloved sweets during the Carnival period.

For an even more “Italian” variant, you could add a little grated orange zest to the chiacchiere dough or enrich the filling with a touch of typical Italian liqueur, like Amaretto.