Jam-Filled Carnival Fritters: the delicious recipe for soft Italian chifelini

Jam-filled Carnival fritters are a delicious Italian recipe from Trieste people enjoy during Carnival period. Also known as chifelini, these small triangles of leavened dough are sweet fritters stuffed with apricot jam.

They are made with a dough of boiled potatoes, flour, eggs, sugar and butter, and then fried in boiling peanut seed oil and finally sprinkled with powdered sugar. Everyone will love their irresistible taste and super softness, thanks to the double leavening and the presence of the potatoes.

We filled these Carnival fritters with jam, but you can use your favorite ingredient or even enjoy them plain. Ideal for a buffet or a costume party, these jam-filled Carnival fritters can also be enjoyed at breakfast or as a snack along with a cup of hot tea. So let’s find out how simple it is to make them at home.

Tips

You can make them in the shape of a crescent moon instead of a triangle.

For the filling, you can replace the apricot jam with the one you prefer most, chocolate spreadable cream, or custard.

Instead of powdered sugar, however, you can roll these fritters in granulated sugar, mixed with a pinch of ground cinnamon.

How to store Jam-Filled Carnival Fritters

Jam-filled Carnival fritters can be stored at room temperature, closed in a special airtight container, for 1-2 days. Freezing is not recommended.

How to make Jam-Filled Carnival Fritters

Mash the boiled potatoes in a large bowl.

Add the all purpose flour.

Also add the granulated sugar.

Incorporate the eggs.

Pour the brewer’s yeast dissolved in the warm milk.

Also add the very soft butter and start amalgamating the mixture with your hands.

Transfer the very soft dough onto the work surface, flour it and knead it for a few moments to make it smooth and homogeneous.

Let the dough rise in a bowl, covered with cling film, until doubled the initial volume.

Transfer the dough back to the work surface, spreading it gently with your fingers.

Then roll the dough out with a rolling pin giving a thickness of about half a centimeter.

Make some dough strips with a wheel.

Then cut out squares of 7-8 centimeters of side.

Stuff each square of dough with a teaspoon of jam (apricot, or the one you prefer most).

Do not overdo the quantity, otherwise the jam could come out during cooking, ruining the result.

Join the two opposite ends to form a triangle.

Seal the ends very well by pressing along the sides.

Slightly fold the crescent-shaped tips and let them rise for another 40 minutes on a sheet of parchment paper.

Fry the sweet treats in plenty of hot peanut seeds oil, at about 170°C (338°F).

Let the fritters brown evenly on both sides, then drain on absorbent kitchen paper.

When the chifelini are completely dry and lukewarm, sprinkle them with a little powdered sugar.

Serve immediately the jam-filled Carnival fritters.