Chiacchiere – a quick Italian dessert

Chiacchiere (pronounced kyah-kyeh-reh) is a traditional Italian dessert that holds a firm place especially during the carnival season. Their origin dates back to ancient Rome, where very similar sweet flatbreads were fried. Today, however, you can prepare them anytime, and thanks to this recipe, you'll have them done in literally a few minutes.

In every region of Italy, this treat has a slightly different name—from bugie to crostoli—but the principle is the same everywhere: incredibly thin dough, frying until golden brown, and a generous dusting of powdered sugar. Personally, chiacchiere (from my favorite winter destination in Lombardy) remind me of very thin pancake batter fried to a golden crisp. They belong among quick sweet recipes that even a complete beginner can handle, and they disappear from the plate faster than you can fry them.

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Baker's know-how: What to watch out for so your Chiacchiere turn out perfect

While the dough is wonderfully simple and you can easily work it by hand even without a stand mixer, the frying itself has clear rules. To make sure your chiacchiere are perfectly light and crispy, keep an eye on these three steps:

1. Rolling out the dough is absolute key

The thickness of the dough determines whether the chiacchiere will be delicate and crispy, or tough and chewy instead. The thinner you roll the dough, the crispier the result will be. Don't be afraid to roll it really thoroughly—the dough should be almost see-through (in Italy, a pasta machine is often used for this).

2. The right oil temperature keeps fat out

The oil must be sufficiently heated, but not smoking or overheated—the ideal temperature is around 170 to 180 °C. At this temperature, the dough immediately puffs up, forms those signature bubbles, and won't soak up excess fat. If you feel that the dough is browning too quickly during frying, lower the heat a bit.

3. Dusting off excess flour saves the oil

While rolling out the dough, you'll occasionally need to lightly flour the work surface, but don't forget to thoroughly dust off any excess flour from the dough before dropping it into the pot (for example, with a soft pastry brush). This will keep your oil clean, prevent it from burning unnecessarily, and stop it from turning bitter.

Mari's Tip

Frequently Asked Questions About the Recipe

Why does the dough contain alcohol (grappa or rum)?

The alcohol isn't in the dough to get you drunk (it all safely evaporates during frying), but functions as a traditional baker's trick. It helps create those gorgeous golden blisters and bubbles on the surface of the dough. Furthermore, it prevents the dough from absorbing too much oil while frying, so the chiacchiere stay perfectly crisp and dry on the inside.

If I'm using baking powder, why is sourdough starter in the recipe too?

Wheat sourdough discard in this recipe doesn't serve as the main leavening agent—the baking powder takes care of that reliably. However, the sourdough starter plays a huge role in flavor and texture. It gives the dough a fantastic depth, a subtle tang, and significantly improves the final crunchiness. Plus, it's a brilliant way to use up leftover sourdough starter from the fridge without any waste!

More quick sweet recipes (not only) with sourdough

If you enjoyed chiacchiere and are looking for more sweet inspiration, try these treats as well:

• Yogurt doughnuts with sourdough: Another amazing Italian fried dessert that is fluffy as a cloud on the inside and smells like sugar on the outside.
  
  

• Banana bread with sourdough: An extremely moist weekend classic, perfect with afternoon coffee.
  
  

• Become a baking master: If you want to bake or work with sourdough like a pro and with complete confidence, sign up for my bread baking course.