“Turtèll” are traditional sweets from Faenza. They are small pastries with a chestnut-based filling, typically eaten during the Feast of St. Lazarus, which in Faenza is traditionally celebrated in the Borgo Durbecco neighborhood on the fifth Sunday of Lent.
Ingredients and Preparation
For the filling:
- 300 g dried chestnuts
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 100 g powdered chocolate
- 50 g chopped dark chocolate
- 200 g jam
- zest of two oranges
- zest of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon ground coffee
- a pinch of salt
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- rum or sherry to taste
For the pastry dough:
- 1 kg flour
- 300 g sugar
- 200 g butter or margarine
- 1 tablespoon lard
- 1 whole egg + 3 yolks
- baking powder for 1 kg flour
- a pinch of ammonia bicarbonate
- milk as needed to obtain a soft dough
Boil the chestnuts in a little water along with the orange zest, lemon zest, ground coffee, pinch of salt, and 4 tablespoons of sugar. Once they begin to boil, cover and cook over moderate heat for several hours. When the chestnuts are tender and the water has almost completely evaporated, press them through a sieve. Add all the other filling ingredients and mix well until you obtain a fairly firm filling.
Next, prepare the pastry dough and let it rest for about half an hour. Roll it out with a rolling pin to a thickness slightly greater than that of a coin and cut medium-sized disks. Place a little filling on each disk and fold to form the characteristic shape.
Bake in a hot oven for about 25 minutes. Serve after soaking them in sapa (grape must syrup) or another liqueur of your choice.
