During the colourful Carnival time, traditional delicious treats are prepared all around the Lazio Region.
The Pupazza
The Carnival speciality of Frascati is the Pupazza, made with flour, wildflower honey and orange flavouring. The biscuit symbolises a young woman, probably a wet nurse, with three breasts, two for the milk and one for the wine. To calm restless infants, the nurses were said to use a puppet lightly soaked in the sweet wine of Frascati, the Cannellino.
The Frappe, or Chiacchiere
The light, fragrant Frappe, or Chiacchiere, are fried jagged strips of dough sprinkled with sugar or covered in chocolate or honey. Already known in ancient Rome as Frictilia, they were fried in pork fat and served during the Saturnali, a religious celebration which included rituals, entertainment, dancing and masks.
Also renowned are fried Ravioli, filled with ricotta, chocolate and cinnamon, soaked in a few drops of alchermes and finally sprinkled with sugar.
The Castagnole are fried, soft dough balls sprinkled with sugar and often filled with custard, ricotta or chocolate. In some areas of Tuscia they are called Strufoli and are soaked in Sambuca liqueur.
The Frittellone from Civita Castellana
The Frittellone from Civita Castellana, a thin pancake made of eggs and flour and sprinkled with Pecorino cheese, is said to be already prepared by the Etruscans and Romans. Today, the Fritellone is served in Civita Castellana during the Historical Carnival.
The Fregnacce from Tuscia
The delicious Fregnacce from Tuscia have been exported to the neighbouring territories with different names: Bertolacce in Corchiano, Fregnacce in Gallese (cooked in a pork trotter broth), and Pizzacce in Orte.
The Cecamarini, or Cecamariti
The Cecamarini fom Ciociaria, also known as Cecamariti, whose name refers to women blinding their husbands by tempting their palates, are little balls of dough made of flour, yeast, eggs, liqueur, milk, oil, vanilla, sugar and grated lemon. They are fried and served with a sprinkle of sugar.
The typical doughnut-shaped Cicerchiata
The famous doughnut-shaped Cicerchiata covered in honey and coloured sprinkles, ows its name to the cicerchie, the grass peas widespread in southern Lazio.
The Carnival Tartalicchi
The Tartalicchi, the flour and potato pancakes from Alatri and Guarcino, like the soft potato doughnuts from Leonessa, are a recipe from the old days not to be missed.
Let yourself be tempted by all these delicacies and you will discover how one leads to another!