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#51 of italian forgotten classics: castagnole romagnole
In Italian Recipes

#51 of italian forgotten classics: castagnole romagnole



#51 Forgotten Italian Classics: Castagnole romagnole

Some recipes arrive like invitations to celebrate. Castagnole romagnole are just that: small, golden fritters fried once a year when Carnival gives everyone permission to. I made them the old Romagnolo way with just flour, eggs, lemon zest, and lard. As they puffed and browned, the kitchen filled with that unmistakable smell of sugar and joy. Simple, quick, and gone before they cooled.

For the full recipe with story, method and tips & tricks soon available on my substack (link in bio).

#castagnoleromagnole #emiliaromagnafood #cucinapovera #italiandesserts #forgottenitalianclassics #carnivalfood

Welcome to Italian Forgotten Classic, where we discover Italian cooking is more than just pasta and pizza. Today we’re in Aia Romana to discover cast Roman. Some recipes arrive like invitation to celebrate. Castan are one of them. Their story begins in February when carnival fills the street with ler mask and the smell of tendor. The name means a little chestnut for their color since brown and shiny. They were once the treat before land. A way to turn simple ingredients rich with a little lard and sugar. To make them, we just mix flour, eggs, lemon zest, and a touch of milk. Then fry them slowly in stru. They should puff in seconds, turning crispy outside, soft within, filling the kitchen with the smell of celebration. Castanol stayed local because they belong to carnival and they are too joyful for everyday life. But make them today and I guarantee you the festival start again. Remind us the celebration doesn’t need excess. Just flour, eggs, and the opportunity to eat something sweet and golden before Lent begins.

23 Comments

  2. @auto_math

    In eastern France we fry these donuts for carnaval, they're called "bûgnes" which sounds like a fist punch. Chestnuts (châtaigne or marron) are also a slang for punch.

  4. @felixdaniels37

    22:55
    "The tech companies will be fine"
    WILL they though? You are deeply underestimating just how interconnected this bubble is. Take Amazon for example. They're one of the biggest investors in this AI bubble because they're genuinely on the verge of collapse. They're hoping to use AI to 1) make Siri profitable instead of a monetary black hole 2) replace workers because they're suffering from a severe shortage because nobody is willing to work with them anymore 3) To have a gimmick that can bring people back to the platform, because Amazon shopping has seen a steady decline since 2020, with the largest decline in 2025. Hell, EVERY major investor in this bubble has seen declines since 2020, Google, Meta, Microsoft, you name it.

    These are not the actions of companies that are confident they'd be able to walk away from the fallout. The tech industry is a cornered rat, forcing AI as a desperate final attempt at growth. Once it pops, there's nowhere for them to go except the current death spiral they're all plummeting towards.

  6. @MrsHappyville

    Almost the same thing is eaten in Switzerland. The shape is a bit different; elongated with pointed ends. They are called "Schenkeli".

  7. @CHarlotte-ro4yi

    I love how across Europe we have similar food associated with holidays. In the Rhineland we have Mutzen and Mutzenmandeln for Carnival and they are quite similar to these just formed in an almond schape.

  9. @raf015_2

    Io a Carnevale sono più tipo da Frappe (o Chiacchiere, se preferite) ma queste castagnole sembrano davvero buone😋. La mia variante regionale di questo dolce credo che siano gli Strufoli, che però sono molto più grandi (tipo un'arancia), nell'impasto hanno un pò di mistrà, e si mangiano cosparsi di miele e arkemes.