Pistachio Castagnole, are a well-known Italian dessert traditionally served at Carnevale.
Traditional castagnole are described as having a chestnut-like shape--in fact, this is how they get their name! Their soft yet crunchy texture is why they're a fan favorite among Italians, especially during carnival time. The fried sweet dough balls are usually fried and then rolled in sugar while they're still warm.
What makes this castagnole recipe unique is that the dough balls are filled with pistachio cream (try making your own homemade pistachio cream!). A delicious treat to make around Carnevale time or as a fun dessert any time of year!
What are castagnole?
Castagnole are known as small donuts, or donut holes, shaped like chestnuts (although I usually make mine bigger). The name "castagnole" comes from "castagne" which means chestnuts.
Also known as Italian fried dough, castagnole are very popular at Carnevale. They are made with typical donut ingredients, which are made into dough that is then rolled into small balls and then fried. Not only do the ingredients make castagnole absolutely delicious, they are soft on the inside but slightly crunchy on the outside. When you add filling like pistachio cream, their tastiness is taken to the next level.
What is Carnevale?
Carnevale, or Carnival, is a festival with the purpose to celebrate the Catholic faith in many countries. It's always held around Easter time, starting in February or March. The dates of Carnevale vary depending on when Easter falls each year.
What makes Carnival unique is that it's about two weeks long and is one of the biggest annual holidays. It goes from 2 weeks before Lent to Shrove Tuesday.
Festivities at Carnevale include games, plays, music, and costumes. Celebrations are held in public squares and are attended by children and adults alike. The food at Carenvale is one of the best parts, and castagnole are one of the most popular foods you will find being enjoyed at the celebration!
Fun fact: carnevale actually means "without meat". Catholics give up meat during Lent, so this celebration has a focus on food to allow them to indulge in their favorite decadent dishes before giving up meat for the Easter season.
Castagnole pronunciation
Castagnole is a pretty straightforward word to pronounce. The "gn" sound in Italian is similar to the sound "ny" in english, like in the word "canyon."
So castagnole would be pronounced "ca-sta-ny-o-leh"
Castagnole vs. zeppole
Castagnole and zeppole are both Italian fried desserts. Zeppole are an Italian pasty, or a fritter, made from a deep-fried choux pastry. The fritter is typically filled with something like custard, jelly, or cream and sprinkled with powdered sugar. The dough is very light and airy, so much so that it almost like a yeast donut, while castagnole or more dense and cakey, more similar to a cake donut.
Castagnole and zeppole also differ is their shape and size. Zeppole are typically longer in diameter compared to castagnole--while their diameter varies, most tend to be about 4 inches, which castagnole are smaller donut holes.
Why you should make castagnole
Here are a few reasons why you should make castagnole filled with pistachio cream:
- They're as easy as 1-2-3. From beginning to end, all you need is an hour to make these castagnole. The steps aren't too complicated compared to many other dessert recipes.
- They use common ingredients. You can find the ingredients needed to make carnival donuts easily at most grocery stores, and you more than likely have most of them in your kitchen or pantry already.
- They're super tasty. Plain castagnole are absolutely delicious, but this recipe takes their drool-worthiness to the next level with the pistachio cream. You will find that they taste better when eaten the day that you make them, rather than after being stored. Try to enjoy them before they lose their flavor!
Ingredients list
- Flour, Eggs, Butter: you'll need these to make the dough.
- Sugar: granulated sugar is needed to sweeten the dough, and you'll also need some to roll the donut holes in during the last step.
- Lemon zest: adds a kick of flavor.
- Vanilla extract and rum: brings extra depths of flavor to castagnole.
- Salt: helps enhance the flavor of the other ingredients in the dough.
- Baking powder: allows the dough to rise.
- Oil: since these carnival donuts are fried, you will need some peanut or sunflower oil.
- Pistachio cream: ½ cup pistachio cream is needed for the tasty filling.
How to make castagnole: step-by-step
Make the castagnole dough:
In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except for the oil.
beat with a fork until a ball starts to form, a few minutes.
Transfer the dough to a wooden board, add a touch more flour if dough is moist.
Knead with your hands until dough is smooth, a few minutes.
Wrap in saran wrap and let rest at room temperature for half hour.
Remove a piece of dough from the ball (about ¼), and roll into a log.
Cut the log into pieces, and roll each piece into one ball. Each ball should weigh about 20 grams. Repeat this process until all the dough is formed into balls.
Fry the castagnole:
Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Once hot enough to fry (I always test with a wooden spoon- insert the end of the spoon into the oil - if it starts to bubble, it's ready), drop about 4-5 balls in the oil.
Fry the ball until they are golden in color - about 2 minutes. If they are frying to fast, reduce the heat of the oil.
Remove using a skimmer and place the castagnole on a plate lined with paper towel.
Repeat this process for all the balls.
While the castagnole are frying, place granulated sugar in a small bowl and roll the castagnole in the sugar to coat them.
Fill the castagnole with pistachio cream:
Fill a pastry bag attached with a piping tip with the pistachio cream.
Pierce each castagnola with a straw, without it coming through the other end.
Insert the piping tip into the open end of the castagnola and squeeze the pistachio cream in. Repeat with all castagnole.
Serve and enjoy!
FAQ
Fried dough, or castagnole, is commonly eaten plain and served warm. Some people like to experiment with their own toppings, like maple syrup or cinnamon (warm flavors!). You can also try savory versions of fried dough with marinara and/or cheese.
The fried sweet dough balls in this recipe are made with flour, eggs, butter, and sugar. Some salt and baking powder is included to help with flavor and to help the dough rise. Many fried dough recipes, like my castagnole, have other flavors added to them like vanilla, rum, and lemon zest. Dough balls can also be filled with cream, like in this recipe.
Carnevale features decadent foods with savory flavors, like gnocchi, lasagna, and tortelli. Almost all of the desserts found at the festival are fried. In addition to castagnole, you will find other desserts like fritelle, migliaccio, and chiacchiere at the event.
Fried foods like desserts are popular at Carnevale because it traditionally started hundreds of years ago when ovens didn't exist. Therefore, fried desserts were the only option for serving sweet treats at the festival.
How to store
While castagnole taste best when eaten the day they are made, you might have leftovers and it's important to know how to store them. You can store leftover castagnole in a sealed container at room temperature on the counter. Remember that they lose their flavor and texture fairly quickly if they're kept longer than a day.
More Italian dessert recipes
- Pannettone Tiramisu
- Parrozo (Italian Almond Cake)
- Cuccidati
- Italian Panna Cotta
- Nutella Cookies
- Castagnole
If you tried making Castagnole, or any other recipe on the blog, please let me know what you thought of it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and TikTok to see more delicious food and what I’ve been up to.
Recipe
Pistachio Castagnole - Italian Carnival Donuts
Castagnole, or Italian carnival donuts, are a famous traditional dessert, most well-known for being served at Carnevale. Their chestnut-like shape is how they get their name, and their soft yet crunchy texture is a big reason why they're such a crowd-pleaser among Italians (especially during carnival time). This version is filled with delicious pistachio cream.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup (225g) all purpose flour
- 2 eggs large
- 3 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar plus more for dusting
- zest of one lemon
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon rum
- pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 500-700 mL peanut oil or sunflower oil for frying
- ½ cup pistachio cream
Instructions
-
In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except for the oil.
-
beat with a fork until a ball starts to form, a few minutes.
-
Transfer the dough to a wooden board, add a touch more flour if dough is moist.
-
Knead with your hands until dough is smooth, a few minutes.
-
Wrap in saran wrap and let rest at room temperature for half hour.
-
Remove a piece of dough from the ball (about ¼), and roll into a log.
-
Cut the log into pieces, and roll each piece into one ball. Each ball should weigh about 20 grams. Repeat this process until all the dough is formed into balls.
-
Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Once hot enough to fry (I always test with a wooden spoon- insert the end of the spoon into the oil - if it starts to bubble, it's ready), drop about 4-5 balls in the oil.
-
Fry the ball until they are golden in color - about 2 minutes. If they are frying to fast, reduce the heat of the oil.
-
Remove using a skimmer and place the castagnole on a plate lined with paper towel.
-
Repeat this process for all the balls.
-
While the castagnole are frying, place granulated sugar in a small bowl and roll the castagnole in the sugar to coat them.
-
Fill a pastry bag attached with a piping tip with the pistachio cream.
-
Pierce each castagnola with a straw, without it coming through the other end.
-
Insert the piping tip into the open end of the castagnola and squeeze the pistachio cream in. Repeat with all castagnole.
-
Serve and enjoy!
