Tuscan Fried Pastries
Tuscan Fried Pastries
Crisp Tuscan carnival pastries (cenci): a thin olive-oil dough cut into ribbons, deep-fried and dusted with powdered sugar.
Prep: 30 minutes · Cook: 15 minutes
What Is Tuscan Fried Pastries?
Crisp Tuscan carnival pastries — cenci or chiacchiere: a thin egg-and-olive-oil dough cut into fluted ribbons, deep-fried until blistered and golden, and dusted with powdered sugar.
Why Make Tuscan Fried Pastries?
- The classic Italian carnival treat
- Olive oil in the dough gives a savoury depth
- A fluted wheel makes the pretty rippled edges
- Fries up light, crisp and shattering
- A big plateful from a little dough
Unico Products Used in This Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- sunflower oil (for deep-frying)
- vegetable oil (alternative for deep-frying)
- 2 tsp powdered sugar (to decorate)
Instructions
- Heap the flour on a board and make a well in the centre; add the eggs, the extra virgin olive oil, the sugar and the baking powder.
- Mix with your hands, then knead until the dough is smooth, soft and elastic.
- Roll the dough out into a very thin sheet and, using a fluted pastry wheel, cut into strips about 3 x 6 cm.
- Deep-fry the strips a few at a time in hot oil until golden, then drain on paper towels.
- Arrange on a plate and sift the powdered sugar over them before serving.
Cooking Tips
- Roll the dough as thin as you can for maximum crispness
- A fluted pastry wheel gives the traditional rippled ribbons
- Keep the frying oil hot so they blister and don't soak
- Fry only a few at a time so the temperature holds
- Dust with sugar while still warm
Frequently Asked Questions About Tuscan Fried Pastries
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1. Does the dough use yeast?
No — these crisp pastries use baking powder and don't rise.
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2. What are these pastries called?
Cenci or chiacchiere — Italian carnival fried ribbons, similar to angel wings.
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3. Why olive oil in the dough?
It adds a subtle savoury depth and helps the pastries crisp.
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4. Sunflower or vegetable oil for frying?
Either — Unico sunflower and vegetable oil both work for deep-frying.
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5. How thin should I roll the dough?
As thin as possible — it's the key to a light, crisp result.
Cooking Guides & Tips
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Tuscan Fried Pastries Made Simple
Tuscan Fried Pastries are the crisp, sugar-dusted ribbons of an Italian carnival. Unico extra virgin olive oil in the dough gives them their savoury depth.