February

Carnival is celebrated before the Lent and it was for many centuries the symbol of purifying at the beginning of the new year. During Carnival period, in many Italian towns and villages there are parades of carts and masks. In the ancient time, there was the funeral of Carnival King, the old year who died taking off all the old troubles. The confetti, circle and colored paper pieces, in the ancient time were coriander seeds covered by gypsum, thrown from the carts and from the balconies. the most famous Carnival in Tuscany is the Carnival of Viareggio.
During this period, there was the custom to cook quick and cheap cake, to offer to the people.

In Rignano sull’Arno, every year we celebrate Carnival in the squares and in the streets of the village on Sunday afternoon, with a masked parade. There is a big confusion and a lot of cheerfulness, the children launch confetti, streamers and foam. The parade is opened by the local musical band, called Tarantella. All the associations of the village prepare playful carts, involving children and adults.
This year there were: the cart of the cheese and mice, the cart of the school dance, the cart of the ancient Egypt, the cart of the hospital E.R., the cart of the bridge on Messina strait (that has to be built, a very discussed subject in Italy in this period), the cart of “There is mail for you” (a television program) and the cart of “Make your own cabbages” (In Italian this proverb means “Think to your own problems and don’t disturb me”). At the end of the afternoon, the best cart and the best mask win a prize.

Florentin Carnival Cenci (rags)

Ingredients
- 500 gr. flour
- 100 gr. sugar
- icing sugar
- 50 gr. butter
- 3 eggs
- 1 small glass of liqueur
- baking powder
- oil for frying
- salt

Method
Pour the flour on the table and break the eggs in the middle, add the sugar, the butter, the baking powder, the salt and the liqueur. Mix the ingredients, making a smooth and homogenous dough. With the rolling pin, make a thin pastry and cut it in triangles or rectangles or in every form you like. Fry the “Cenci” in oil, when they are brown drip them and let them dry on absorbent paper. Sprinkle the Cenci with icing sugar.
 

Florentine flat cake – Schiacciata alla Fiorentina

This cake is typical of Carnival period in Florence. It was called “Greased schiacciata” when it was made with the lard, but now it is replaced with olive oil.

Ingredients:
- 12 tablespoons flour
- 9 tablespoons sugar
- 8 tablespoons milk
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 orange (juice and grated peel)
- baking powder
- icing sugar

Method:
Put the eggs in a bowl, add the sugar and mix with a whisk, add the flour, mixing.
Grated the orange peel, put it in the dough and mix.
Grattugiare la buccia dell'arancia, metterla nell'impasto e mescolare.
Squeeze the orange and add the juice to the dough.
Add the milk and the olive oil, going on to mix.
At last, add the baking powder mixing very well.
Grease a baking tin with olive oil and sprinkle it with flour.
Pour the dough in the baking tin with a shovel.
Put in the warm oven (180°) for about 25 minutes.
Take off the tin from the oven and let it cold.
Put the cake on a tray and sprinkle it with icing sugar.

 

Class 2 a and 2 B, who have cooked the cake, with theyr vegetables masks.