Savory Castagnole

Name: Savory Castagnole
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 30
Ingredients: Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1.4 oz; Type 00 flour 1.67 cups; Sugar 2 ½ tsp; Instant yeast for salted preparations 3 tsp; Fine salt ¼ tsp; Eggs at room temperature (about 2 medium) 3.9 oz; Butter softened at room temperature 3 tbsp; Grappa 0.4 oz; Peanut seed oil to taste; Mantuan pumpkin ½ cup; Castelmagno cheese 1.1 oz; Mascarpone cheese 1 ½ tbsp; Garlic 1 clove; Water ½ cup; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste

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Vegetarian

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Makes: 30 pieces
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Savory castagnole brings a fun twist to the Carnevale table. Seriously good stuff. In Northern Italy, especially around Piedmont, people just go all out with fried foods during winter festivals. And look, instead of the usual sugary castagnole, this version is crispy and golden with a kick from Castelmagno cheese. The cheese is really a big deal in Piedmont—it’s got this tangy kick you don’t expect in fried dough balls. Plus, dip them into a creamy pumpkin and Castelmagno sauce, and you’ve got a real Italian savory doughnuts vibe going on that’s both festive and unexpected. Really, these little bites go perfectly with a glass of bubbly or as a starter for a holiday dinner. Different from your usual Italian snack, for sure.

During Carnevale, Italians fry all sorts of things, but the savory castagnole recipe shows how traditions can shift with a little twist. Pretty simple. Unlike the usual sweet castagnole dusted with sugar, these tender dough balls are salty, cheesy and super satisfying. The outside gets crispy in the fryer, while the inside stays moist and full of flavor from the cheese and pumpkin cream. It’s like your favorite winter soup turned into finger food. You get a bite that’s warm, tangy, and a bit earthy—thanks to Castelmagno. Anyone who loves easy savory castagnole will enjoy bringing this dish to a gathering, especially if you want something way way different from regular Italian appetizers. Whether you call them savory Italian fried dough balls or savory fried pastries, they’re the kind of food that makes everyone want another taste. And the sauce? Pretty much essential. Celebrating Carnevale just feels more fun with a plate of homemade savory castagnole and friends ready to dig in. Add some festive flair to your table with these really really good bites!

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for 30 castagnole of about 0.5 oz each: Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1.4 oz (40 g); Type 00 flour 1.67 cups (200 g); Sugar 2 ½ tsp (10 g); Instant yeast for salted preparations 3 tsp (8 g); Fine salt ¼ tsp; Eggs 3.9 oz (110 g) - at room temperature (about 2 medium); Butter 3 tbsp (40 g) - softened at room temperature; Grappa 0.4 oz (10 g); Peanut seed oil to taste

For the pumpkin and Castelmagno cream: Mantuan pumpkin ½ cup (125 g); Castelmagno cheese 1.1 oz (30 g); Mascarpone cheese 1 ½ tbsp (20 g); Garlic 1 clove; Water ½ cup (100 g); Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Savory Castagnole

To prepare savory castagnole, start by pouring all the ingredients into a bowl. Begin with the dry ones: flour, grated Parmesan cheese 1, sugar, instant yeast for savory preparations 2, and salt 3.

Briefly mix the powders and then add the butter, lightly beaten eggs 4, and grappa 5. Knead by hand and then transfer everything onto the work surface and continue to knead until the ingredients are compact. There’s no need to add flour, but if you really must, sprinkle a pinch 6.

Once you have a smooth dough, divide it into 30 pieces of about 0.5 oz each 7 and then shape them into small spheres 8. Fry a few pieces at a time in plenty of peanut oil, heated to no more than 329°F (use a kitchen thermometer), otherwise they will brown on the outside and remain raw inside 9.

It will only take a couple of minutes to cook, so stir often with a skimmer to fry them evenly 10. As they are ready, drain the savory castagnole on absorbent paper 11 and continue with the rest. Let them cool 12.

Meanwhile, prepare the pumpkin and Castelmagno cream. First, grate the cheese: it is semi-hard, so it will crumble easily, so be careful while grating; set the grated Castelmagno aside 13. Clean the pumpkin: remove the skin, seeds, and internal filaments, then cut into very small cubes, about 1/8 inch 14. This way, they will cook quickly. Heat a pan with a little oil and a clove of garlic in its skin (remember to crush it with the palm of your hand first). As soon as the base is hot, add the cubes and let them sauté for 1 minute 15.

Lower the heat, season with salt and pepper, then add water and let cook for 15 minutes 16: the base should not dry out too much, if necessary you can add a little more water. At the end of cooking, remove the garlic 17 and immediately transfer to a blender, you should take advantage of the fact that the base is still very hot 18.

Add the Castelmagno 19 and blend until smooth. You can add a few drops of hot water if necessary 20. Transfer the cream to a bowl, add the mascarpone 21

and mix until smooth 22. Transfer everything into a piping bag fitted with a nozzle and start filling the castagnole. Make an entry hole and gently hollow out 23, then squeeze the filling until they are full and continue with the rest. Here are your delicious savory castagnole with pumpkin and Castelmagno cream ready, happy Carnival 24!

Storage

Empty savory castagnole can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, but it is better to consume them as soon as possible because they will lose their crispness.
Stuffed castagnole can be stored for a maximum of 1 day. Therefore, you can also prepare the cream up to 1 day in advance.
Freezing the dough is not recommended, while empty castagnole can be frozen and then thawed; in this case, it's best to warm them a bit before serving.
The dough can be prepared and stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for a maximum of 12 hours.

Advice

As for the savory castagnole cream, mascarpone is the most suitable cheese because it is just the right amount of bland and creamy. Ricotta, on the other hand, might soften the Castelmagno flavor too much, but it's a valid alternative!
Castelmagno is such a flavorful and unique cheese that we recommend trying it and not replacing it with the classic Parmesan.
If you don’t have grappa, you can replace it with a slightly sweet liqueur or white wine.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.