Chiacchiere are meraviglie!

«During Carnival every dessert counts!». One of the most traditional is represented by chiacchiere, that have a different name according to the Region in Italy. In some areas, they are called bugie, in other, meraviglie (maraviglias, exactly in Sardinia). 

This dessert, typical of Carnival, dates back to the Ancient Rome, during the celebrations that were appreciated by a big multitude of people, and for offering something fast for everyone, it was necessary to resort to some desserts that were served as fried. In the last years, some women used to prepare chiacchiere, using the remaining dough employed for cooking ravioli.

For realizing some delicious maraviglias, the necessary ingredients are flour, sugar, sunflower oil, egg yolk and white wine, if possible sparkling, such that desserts can lift and swell. About preparation, it is necessary to have a terrine for working the dough; a small wheel with a scallop cut, that has the function of creating chiacchiere and of marking some central lines; a rolling pin for extending the dough, that must be very thin.
Flour, sugar, oil, white wine and egg yolk have to be mixed together for about 5 minutes, until you do not create a ball. Then, you must not attach the ball between your fingers and, if it wedged in your fingers, we advise to add a little flour. 

While you work the dough through the hands, dough must be smooth and, in order to obtain this result, you must carry on for about 10 minutes. Then you extend it, thanks to the rolling pin, for 6-7 minutes, for obtaining a thin fillo dough. After having extended dough, you must use a small wheel with a scallop cut for creating some squares or some rhombi and for marking some lines in the middle. On pastry board, you begin detaching bugie from the general dough, for having them at your fingertips at the moment of baking. For ½ kilo of flour, they are necessary 2 spoons of sugar – not much, because the risk is that chiacchiere do not lift – 2 egg yolks, 1 glass of white wine, 2-3 spoons of oil.


The kind of baking, that is suggested for tasting this deliciousness, is frying. You must pour a little oil into a pan – not much oil. As soon as oil is very hot, you can extend chiacchiere into the pan. It is important not to make them burn, but simply to gild them. So, it is necessary to remove them soon from the baking. Then, you must extend them on a tray on which, previously, you had put some absorbent paper. Finally, you sprinkle a little sugar or powdered sugar above them. Or you can serve them in a simple way, for who does not love the too sweet dishes.