Carnivale

February in Tuscany is carnival month and lots of towns celebrate it by holding parades and decorating the streets. 

Viareggio, a beautiful seaside town, is the most renowned of the lot in Tuscany, with four big parades during February, during which residents put on masks and costumes prepared in the months leading up to the festival. Viareggio Carnival is famous for its satirical floats made of papier-mâché. If you haven’t seen a float before, you can’t even begin to imagine how big they are: the floats’ maker need an airplane hangar to build them If you are lucky enough, they’ll let you in to see these handmade wonders. The parades are not the only event during the month: there are also parties held in the various neighborhoods of the city. 

But wherever you are in Italy during Carnevale, be sure to try the traditional dessert of fried dough much like an American donut.  They come in many shapes, sizes and flavors.  Thebest-known Carnival pastries are Cenci (the word means rags), whose many aliases include Frappe, Chiacchere (gossips) and Nastrini (ribbons).

The Recipe
Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbs butter, room temperature

1 tsp sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1/8 tsp salt

2 Tbs rum

1 Tbs lemon zest

flour for working dough

oil for deep-frying

confectioners (powdered) sugar

How to make it

Flour into a bowl and mix in the butter.

Add the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, salt, lemon zest, and rum to the flour.

Work the ingredients into dough. If the dough is too dry add a little water.

Place the dough on a floured surface and knead well for 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth and shiny.

Cover and allow to rest in in a cool place for 1 hour.

Heat at least 3-4" of oil to 350F.

Divide the dough into fourths.

On a floured surface roll out one quarter of the dough until it is thin (1/6") and cut into strips about 4" x 1/2".

Tie each strip into a simple, loose knot.

Fry the knots, 4 or 5 at a time, until puffed up and golden (about 1-2 minutes).

Remove and drain on paper towels.

Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Before serving sprinkle with sifted confectioners sugar.