Between Carnival desserts, the chatter is the most evocative ones. They bring to mind the joy of this party, but above all the sweetness of childhood. Made with a simple mixture of flour, butter, sugar, egg and a distillate to taste, the rumors are beloved by adults and children, in any form and with any name (which changes from region to region, in very drastic ways). Here's how to chat Carnival.
What is the true origin of the chatter
The history of the Chatter Carnival has its roots inancient Rome. They were prepared concurrently with i Saturnalia, a party very similar to today's Carnival. At this time of the year the social canons no longer existed, banquets and popular parties were set up.
One of the symbols of excess was the frictilia, sweets fried in pork fat and distributed to the crowd on the streets of the ancient capital. In his De re coquinaria, Apicius – gastronome of ancient Rome – describes the preparation of chatter as "pancakes made with eggs and spelled flour, cut into small pieces, fried in lard and then dipped in honey".
Regional recipes
In today's Rome, the rumors are called milkshake, a completely different name compared to Chatter, but it is not the only one. If a Milan, in Sicily It is in the Lazio (but not in Rome) retain the original name, in Tuscany they are known as Cenci or damsels. In Emilia "copy the Roman" frappe, sfrappole or intrigoni, in Trentino are the crostoli, in Veneto they become galani, while in Piedmont and in Liguria they assume the appellation of lies.
Still in Valtellina they are called manzole, maraviglias in Sardinia, gloves in Caserta, lettuces to Mantova, merveilles in Valle d'Aosta, jump on in Brescia.
Not only the names are changed, but also the percentages of the main ingredients: there are those who abound with butter, those who put less sugar, those who give an extra touch with lemon zest and who also puts a bit of yeast. Liqueur also becomes a hallmark. Some people use marsala, some anise, some grappa, some rum or whiskey.
How to make the dough
To realize thedough of chatter, crunchy and delicious, take flour, butter, sugar, eggs and a distillate to taste (rum or brandy or even Marsala, vin santo or grappa). Knead and spread a sheet that you will cut into strips, squares or lozenges according to your regional tradition or simple taste. To do this, help yourself with a serrated wheel.
Once the various pieces of pasta are ready, fry the chatter. At the end of cooking, sprinkle with powdered or granulated sugar, according to taste. But beware: do not cover the freshly fried chatter because the steam would make it soft.
How to give shape to the chatter
We have seen that there is not only one form to be given to Chatter: let's see how to make the various cuts.
To achieve i triangles, cut the dough into squares of 9-10 cm of side, then divide them diagonally in half and cut each triangle in the middle (this incision is not essential but useful to facilitate cooking). In some areas of the Veneto, very thin triangles are prepared and mashed by filling them with a veil of jam.
To achieve i bows cut the dough into strips about a cm wide and placed 10-12 cm long, then knot softly in the center. It is a form also used for the "crostoli" from Friuli.
To do the intertwined chatter cut the dough to rectangles and practice 3 incisions inside, then lift one of the two inner strips and bring it outwards intertwining it with the other.
How to fry the chatter
To fry the Chatter warms well oil in a large pan (better if you have in the kitchen for the fried with a basket). Tuffaci, a few at a time, the chatter and, when they are golden, drain it on absorbent paper, to eliminate excess grease.
How to cook the baked chatter
For the healthiest you can cook them baked chat. The ancient Romans will turn in the grave, but to limit the "damage" from frying you can take the risk.
Prepare the dough by sifting the flour and adding the sugar and the eggs in the center. Combine the softened butter, cut into small pieces, the distillate and start kneading. When you have obtained a smooth and homogeneous mixture, let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes.
Portion the dough creating the chatter with the shape you like best. Then cover the baking tray with greaseproof paper and make bake in preheated oven at 180 ° C for 9-10 minutesuntil they are perfectly golden. Once cooked, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
How to chat with the Thermomix
You can prepare the Carnival chat even with the Thermomix. To prepare a dose sufficient to satisfy six people, take 500 grams of flour, the grated lemon peel, a teaspoon of Brandy, 50 grams of butter, 4 eggs, 100 grams of sugar and salt.
Bring the butter to room temperature, pulling it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before. Once you have reached the right consistency, add the sifted flour, the diced butter, the lemon peel, the eggs, the sugar and the salt into the Bimby jug. Knead for 2 minutes at an ear speed.
At the end of the first part of the dough, add a teaspoon of Brandy and continue setting the robot on a minute, always at spike speed. At this point you will have obtained a smooth and firm dough, which you will have to rest for half an hour before proceeding to cut and fry the rumors.
Why do not they swell in cooking or are they not very friable?
The perfect chats are crunchy and friable waffles, which must swell during cooking. The secret lies in getting the best effect drafting of the dough. It must be very thin: this is why it is advisable to pull the dough using a special machine. In addition, the oil must be hot but not boiling, around 170 ° C.
The salty chatter
For those who do not really appreciate the sweet version of this Carnival dessert, you can also enjoy the savory chatter. You can prepare some crispy sheets with vegetables or real ones chiacchiere filled with zucchini. For this last recipe, after creating the basic dough for the chatter, sauté the grated zucchini and squeezed with minced pine nuts, sugar, and two grated lime and ginger.
Roll out the dough and make some rectangles, putting a spoon of stuffing at a distance a palm from the other. Cut the strips (they must be about 12 centimeters), brush them with water and close them. Fry the rumors filled in boiling oil and serve them sprinkled with icing sugar.
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