Crogetti: the Carnival sweets in my home village

There are many sweets that are traditionally made during the Carnival weeks in Tuscany: crogetti (elsewhere known as cenci or chiacchiere), zeppole (small deep fried dough balls), bomboloni (doughnuts), rice fritters (not in my area), and frati (deep fried dough rings – traditional of the Maremma area and named for the fact that they have the shape of a fiar’s belt). But crogetti are certainly the carnival sweets.

They can be covered in icing sugar or honey and icing sugar, but around here many people aso put pastry cream on them.

However, on World Nutella Day, they would be perfect with Nutella on top; so, if you feel like trying your hand at this traditional recipe, here you go!

Ingredients

• 300gr of all-purpose flour
• 10gr of baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 50gr of sugar
• orange peel
• 30gr of butter
• 2 eggs
• half a glass of vinsanto
• olive oil
• icing sugar
• honey, custard or… Nutella!

Mix the flour with baking powder, salt, sugar, finely shredded orange peel and melted butter first and then add the eggs. Slowly add the vinsanto and some more flour if necessary (i.e. if the dough is too soft), and knead until the dough is smooth and not sticky.

Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes under a cloth, and then slice it. Roll out each slice until it is very thin (I use the machine I use to roll out fresh pasta dough). Make as many crogetti as you wish from each strip by cutting it horizontally.

Deep fry the crogetti in hot olive oil and pour icing sugar or honey and then icing sugar on top. On World Nutella Day, forget about honey and cover them in delicious Nutella!!!

Zeppole: the Carnival sweets in Pisa

As most of you know, my “second home” is Pisa, the city where we work and where we live from Monday to Friday. Northern Tuscany dffers significantly from Southern Tuscany, not only in the landscape but also in its traditions. In Pisa around Carnival time you will find cenci (if you ask for crogetti they will have no idea what you are talking about), but you will also first and foremost find rice fritters (which in my home village are traditionally served on March 19, St. Joseph’s Day and Father’s Day and not at Carnival) and zeppole.

Zeppole are usually filled with pastry cream (custard) and would be perfect filled with Nutella on World Nutella Day!

So here is the recipe!

Ingredients

•  3 eggs
• 200gr of all-purpose flour
• 75gr of sugar
• a pinch of salt
• vanilla extract
• lemon peel
• olive oil
• icing sugar (or more regular sugar)
• frying oil

Beat the eggs and slowly add sugar, salt, vanilla extract, the lemon peel (finely shredded), and three tablespoons of olive oil.  Add baking powder and flour and keep mixing until smooth. Heat the frying oil and pour small balls of dough into it  using a tea spoon. Fry until golden. Drain dry and fill them with Nutella using a piping bag or a pastry syringe. Roll the zeppole in icing or regular sugar and enjoy!

(From Manuale di Cucina)

Happy Nutella Day!

What I also remember, though, is that 30 years ago traditional carnival  stock characters were the main inspiration for costumes. I think they are not so common anymore: now kids seem to prefer superhero costumes and the like.

Le Maschere Tradizionali, the traditional carnival stock characters, are impersonations of “human types” in a caricature style. They originated in the 16th-century tradition of the Italian Commedia dell’Arte (the Comedy of Art), “a professional form of theatre that began in Italy in the mid-16th century, and was characterized by masked “types,” the advent of the actress, and improvised performances based on sketches or scenarios”.
More on Commedia dell’Arte…

Some of the most famous characters

Pulcinella – a white outfit, a funny pointed hat and a black mask with a big nose, Pulcinella is the traditional Neapolitan carnival character. He’s chatty, a bit crazy and very lazy! He has a mandolin, he likes to sing and eat and sometimes he hits the other carnival characters with the long stick he always has with him.

Arlecchino – he was my favourite! Also known as Harlequin in English, he has a colourful outfit, a large hat and a black masque. He’s a mischievous servant, a bit of a scoundrel and swindler, but, deep down, he’s wise and good natured. His girlfriend is Colombina.

Colombina - or Columbina, is the only girl among a crowd of male carnival characters. She’s a lively and smart young female servant. She is pretty and a bit of a liar and she speaks in the Venetian dialect. She loves her young Lady Rosaura very much and she goes out of her way to make her happy. She has a white and blue dress and a large flounced skirt. She makes fun of everybody: a flirtatious and impudent character!

Pantalone – also a Venetian character and the victim of Columbina’s intrigues. He wears a red suit and a black mantel. He’s grumpy, stubborn and annoying. Pantalone doesn’t like spending his money: he’s a very tight, old Venetian merchant who complains all the time.

Dottor Balanzone, or the Doctor – he’s from Bologna and he’s all dressed in black, and has a book under his arm. He’s angry, disruptive and he doesn’t listen to anyone else from any of the fields that he claims to know about (which are many). He is pompous, and loves the sound of his own voice but he often talks nonsense.

Gianduia - he’s the traditional carnival character of Turin. He’s a witty, funny and smart peasant who is actually called Gioan d’la douja (literally, Giovanni of the wine – douja in the local dialect) because he goes to all the bars in Turin and ask for a glass of wine! Gianduia has a girlfriend, Giacometta.

Brighella – he’s from Bergamo. He has a white and green outfit. He’s a masterful liar, a smarter version of Harlequin. He’s funny and cheeky with women. His name comes from the fact that he’s a fire-eater. Brighella can play and sing and he knows how to party.

Rugantino – he’s from Lazio. He’s dressed up as a gendarme and he’s arrogant, big-headed and cruel. He’s also a fire-eater.

Stenterello – he’s from Tuscany. He has a distinctive blue jacket with chequered red and white wristband. He’s generous, smart, wise and optimist.

Scaramuccia – also known as Scaramouche, is a roguish clown character who wears a black mask and black trousers, shirt and hat. He is usually portrayed as a buffoon or boastful clown. He’s from Campania. He’s lazy and he gets beaten often. He’s big-headed but he is often quiet.

Capitan Spaventa – or the Captain, is from Liguria. He has a yellow and orange suit, a hat with feathers, a long mustache and pointed beard and he carries a long sword that he drags around making a lot of noise. He fights his battles with his witty speeches.

Sandrone - he’s from Emilia Romagna. He has a red hat and a green jacket. He has a ruddy face and he really loves wine. He’s an ignorant but smart peasant.