Stuffed Carnival Pastries
- Vegetarian
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 60 min
- Cook time: 20 min
- Makes: 40 pieces
- Cost: Low
- Note + resting time for the dough (30 min.)
PRESENTATION
Le bugie di Carnevale, or chiacchiere, are these awesome carnival pastries you stumble upon all over Northern and Central Italy during February. And listen, they’re not just your typical crispy strips. These festival desserts have a surprise inside! Picture this: Nutella or fruit jam tucked right in there—making for a gooey center under the crisp shell.
Seriously good.
Regions have their own fave fillings—some love chocolate, others swear by sweet apricot jam. Each bite is kinda like an adventure: one moment you get the tender, sweet middle, the next you’re munching on that golden outside, all dusted with powdered sugar. Can't go wrong with grabbing a second (or third!) at parties because of the textures and that playful vibe that Italian carnival food recipes always bring.
Sampling these filled pastries is pretty much like a treasure hunt—everyone’s hunting for their favorite flavor! At big family gatherings or local fairs, folks really love comparing different versions. Plus, some even throw in their twist, like lemon zest in the dough or swapping in unique jams. And in some towns, these pastries sit beside other golden and crispy goodies like rose-shaped fritters or baked chiacchiere—which is great—part of the colorful spread that Carnevale throws at you.
Compared to other festival desserts like cream puffs, eclairs, or even empanadas, these Italian treats have this light crunch and a moist bite from the filling that makes them really really stand out. Whether you're sticking with the classic or sampling every flavor, it's a treat that feels like a total celebration.
No question.
Every region's version brings that mix of fun, tender pastry, and sweet, unexpected filling—definitely the sort of carnival pastry that makes the holiday super special. These treats capture the joy and festivity of the Italian Carnevale—really ensuring everyone gets a taste of the season's spirit.
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INGREDIENTS
- for about 40 stuffed pastries
- Type 00 flour 4 cups (500 g)
- Butter 1.8 oz (50 g) - soft but still plastic
- Sugar 0.35 cup (70 g)
- Eggs 3
- Egg yolks 1
- Grappa (30 g)
- Baking powder 1 ¼ tsp (6 g)
- Vanilla extract to taste
- Salt 1 pinch
- Water 0.7 tbsp (10 g) - (as needed)
- for filling
- Nutella ½ cup (150 g)
- Strawberry jam 2 cups (150 g)
- for frying
- Peanut seed oil 4 ¼ cups (1 l)
- for dusting
- Powdered sugar 0.8 cup (100 g)
How to prepare Stuffed Carnival Pastries
To prepare the stuffed Carnival pastries, place the sifted flour and baking powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment 1. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, the sugar 2, and a pinch of salt 3.
In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and egg yolk; then pour them into the mixer while it's running 4. Knead at medium speed 5 and when the eggs are well absorbed, add the grappa 6.
Work everything for 10 minutes until you get a homogeneous and pliable dough; if it seems too compact, you can add 5-10 ml of water. Stop the mixer and replace the paddle with the dough hook 7. Add the butter in small pieces gradually 8 and continue working until you get a smooth dough 9.
Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead it quickly with your hands to form a ball 10. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. After this time, divide the dough into small pieces of about 5 1/4 oz (150 g) each, flatten them slightly on the floured surface 11, and pass them one at a time through the pasta machine on the first setting 12. Meanwhile, keep the others covered with plastic wrap.
Fold each sheet into 3 13, then roll it again starting from the widest setting and progressively reducing it to the penultimate setting, passing it through twice. Let the rolled dough rest for a few minutes at room temperature, then using a piping bag, form small mounds of filling, placing them 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) apart and leaving 1/3 inch (1 cm) free from the bottom edge 14. Then fold over the top edge 15 to cover the filling, as you would for ravioli.
With your fingers, press down well around the mounds of filling to adhere the sheets, then with a fluted pastry wheel, trim the edges and cut into squares 16. Continue in this way until all ingredients are used; you'll get about 20 pastries with Nutella and 20 with jam. Move on to frying: heat the oil in a large pot to reach 340°F (170°C). When it reaches this temperature, immerse 4 or 5 stuffed pastries at a time 17, turning them on both sides for even cooking 18.
When they are golden, drain the Carnival pastries with a slotted spoon and transfer them to paper towels 19; let them cool completely, then sprinkle them with a generous dusting of powdered sugar 20. Your stuffed Carnival pastries are ready to be served and enjoyed 21!