AuthorToscane DI GustoCategoryCakes, Desserts, Quick and easy recipes
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and start mixing, then knead by hand on a lightly floured surface until the dough becomes smooth and even.
If you prefer, you can use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add all the ingredients to the bowl and mix until you get a smooth, homogeneous dough.
Once ready, shape the dough into a ball, cover it with a kitchen towel, and let it rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature. This step helps make the dough more elastic and easier to roll out.
After resting, roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it’s about ½ cm thick. Cut it into strips or rectangles — traditionally, cenci are cut into ribbons, sometimes with a small slit in the center.
Heat plenty of vegetable oil in a deep pan. When the oil is hot, fry a few pieces at a time until golden and crispy, turning them halfway through. They cook very quickly, so keep an eye on them! Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.
While still slightly warm, dust generously with powdered sugar.
If you’d like to make filled versions, place a small spoonful of cream or jam in the center of a piece of dough, cover with another piece, seal the edges well, and then fry.
Ingredients
There are sweets that instantly taste like home — flour on the counter, hands dusted in sugar, and that unmistakable smell of frying dough. These Carnival cenci are exactly that: simple, quick, and dangerously good. Traditionally made during Carnival in Italy, they’re light, crispy, and covered in powdered sugar. You can also make them filled if you like!