Silvio Apuzzo has come a long way since his days as a blacksmith more than 30 years ago.
Forced by circumstances to find a new job that would help him provide a better life for his wife and two sons, almost by accident Papà Silvio discovered his true vocation in life – that of becoming a chef.
Here we present one of his recipes that is a traditional Italian sweet for Carnival. Buon Appetito!
Carnival Chiacchiere - the recipe
Depending on where you are in Italy, you might find these chiacchiere under the name of crostoli (or grostoli), sfrappole, galani, frappeor cenci,different regions substituting the white wine with marsala, acquavite or anice.
I NGREDIENTS
(serves six people)
- 500 g plain flour
- 2 heaped tbsp sugar
- Knob butter, melted
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 glass white wine
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 50 g icing sugar
Preparation
Place flour in a bowl and stir in the sugar. Slowly work in the butter and the eggs followed by the white wine. Kneed until the dough becomes soft and pliable. If it feels too sticky to the touch add a little more flour. Dust a work surface with a little flour. Roll dough out reasonably thin and cut it into a series of triangles with edges roughly 10cm long.
Heat oil, and when good and hot, fry the chiacchiere in small batches. When they are golden brown all over, remove from oil and drain well on kitchen paper. Before serving, dredge with icing sugar.
These chiacchiere are equally delicious accompanied by a crema pasticcera or a thick chocolate sauce like sanguinaccio, a super-rich (and super-delicious) concoction once made with boiled pig’s blood, but now made with ingredients found in even the tamest kitchen’s store cupboard.
