Mardi Gras Meets Italy: Carnival Foods & Traditions

When Two Carnivals Collide

This Tuesday, Americans will celebrate Mardi Gras—the final day of indulgence before Lent begins. In New Orleans, the streets will fill with parades, beads, and king cake. But across the Atlantic, Italians have been celebrating their own Carnival (Carnevale) for weeks, with masks, costumes, and—most importantly—spectacular fried pastries dusted with powdered sugar.

What many don't realize is that these two celebrations share deep roots. Italian immigrants brought their Carnival traditions to New Orleans in the 1800s, influencing everything from the parade culture to the food. Today, both celebrations share the same spirit: one last hurrah of sweetness, indulgence, and joy before the solemnity of Lent.

This Mardi Gras, discover how Italians celebrate Carnevale with food, and bring a taste of Italian tradition to your own Fat Tuesday festivities.

The Italian Carnevale Tradition

In Italy, Carnevale isn't just one day—it's a season. Starting after Epiphany (January 6) and culminating on Fat Tuesday (Martedì Grasso), Italians celebrate with elaborate masks, street performances, and regional festivals. Venice's masked balls are world-famous, but every Italian region has its own Carnival traditions.

What makes Italian Carnevale special:

• Masks & costumes: Elaborate disguises that allow people to shed social roles and celebrate anonymously
• Regional festivals: Viareggio's giant papier-mâché floats, Ivrea's orange-throwing battle, Venice's elegant masked balls
• Fried sweets: Every region has its own fried pastry tradition, all meant to use up rich ingredients (butter, eggs, sugar) before Lent

The philosophy is the same as Mardi Gras: indulge now, because tomorrow we fast.

Italian Carnival Foods: The Sweet Traditions

1. Chiacchiere – The Italian Beignet

Also called frappe, cenci, bugie, or galani depending on the region

What they are: Thin, crispy ribbons of fried dough dusted with powdered sugar. They're light, delicate, and utterly addictive—like Italian beignets but crispier.

The tradition: Every Italian grandmother has her own chiacchiere recipe, passed down through generations. The name means "gossip" or "chatter," because they're so light and crispy they crackle when you bite them—like the sound of women chatting.

How to make them (simplified):

• Make a simple dough with flour, eggs, butter, sugar, and a splash of liqueur (grappa or rum)
• Roll very thin and cut into ribbons or rectangles
• Fry in Partanna Extra Virgin Olive Oil until golden and puffy
• Drain and dust generously with powdered sugar

The American connection: These are remarkably similar to New Orleans beignets—both are fried dough dusted with powdered sugar, both are Carnival traditions, both likely share Italian immigrant roots.

2. Frittelle – Venetian Carnival Fritters

Venice's iconic Carnival sweet

What they are: Round, puffy fritters filled with raisins, pine nuts, and sometimes pastry cream or zabaglione. They're sold from street carts during Venice's Carnival and disappear the day after Mardi Gras.

The tradition: Frittelle are so tied to Venetian Carnival that they're only available during this season. Bakeries compete to make the best version, and Venetians line up for their favorite frittellari (fritter makers).

Variations:

• Frittelle Veneziane: With raisins and pine nuts
• Frittelle alla Crema: Filled with vanilla pastry cream
• Frittelle di Mele: With apple chunks inside

How to serve: Warm, dusted with powdered sugar, with espresso or sweet wine.

3. Castagnole – Little Carnival Doughnuts

Bite-sized fried dough balls

What they are: Small, round fried dough balls flavored with lemon zest, anise, or vanilla. They're soft inside, crispy outside, and often rolled in sugar while still warm.

The tradition: The name means "little chestnuts" because of their size and shape. They're popular throughout central and southern Italy during Carnival.

Modern twist: Some versions are filled with Nutella, pastry cream, or ricotta for extra indulgence.

What you need:

• Partanna Sicilian Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 250 ml for frying and flavor
• Nutella Hazelnut Chocolate Spread – 13 oz for filling (optional but delicious)

4. Zeppole – The Italian Doughnut

Fried dough perfection

What they are: Light, airy fried dough, sometimes filled with pastry cream or ricotta, often topped with powdered sugar or honey.

The tradition: While zeppole are most famous for St. Joseph's Day (March 19), they're also a Carnival favorite, especially in southern Italy and Italian-American communities.

The New Orleans connection: Italian immigrants brought zeppole to Louisiana, where they influenced the development of beignets. Both are fried dough, both are dusted with powdered sugar, both are iconic street foods.

The Italian-American Carnival Connection

When Italian immigrants arrived in New Orleans in the late 1800s and early 1900s, they brought their Carnival traditions with them. The influence is everywhere:

• Fried dough traditions: Italian zeppole and chiacchiere influenced New Orleans beignets
• Parade culture: Italian street festivals and processions shaped Mardi Gras parade traditions
• King Cake: Some food historians trace king cake back to Italian Epiphany cakes
• The spirit of Carnival: The Italian philosophy of indulgence before Lent merged with French and Creole traditions to create modern Mardi Gras

Today, New Orleans' French Quarter still has a strong Italian-American presence, and many Mardi Gras traditions carry Italian DNA.

How to Celebrate Mardi Gras the Italian Way

1. Fry something sweet
Make chiacchiere, castagnole, or even just fry strips of pizza dough and dust with powdered sugar. The act of frying is part of the ritual—using up rich ingredients before Lent.

2. Serve Italian pastries
If you're not up for frying, serve Italian puff pastries like:

• Asturi Premium Palmine Italian Pastry Puffs – 7.06 oz
• Vicenzi Tesoro Amarena Puff Pastry with Cherry Cream Filling – 3.17 oz

3. Make it a coffee & sweets party
Italians don't do heavy desserts—they do coffee and pastries. Brew strong espresso, set out Italian sweets, and invite friends over for an afternoon of indulgence.

4. Add Italian flair to your Mardi Gras spread
Alongside your king cake and jambalaya, add:

• Italian fried pastries
• Espresso or Italian coffee
• Nutella for dipping or filling
• Biscotti for dunking

5. Embrace the spirit of Carnevale
Wear a mask (even a simple one), play Italian music, and celebrate the joy of indulgence before the solemnity of Lent begins.

The Philosophy: Indulge Now, Fast Later

Both Mardi Gras and Carnevale share the same beautiful philosophy: life is about balance. We feast, then we fast. We indulge, then we reflect. We celebrate, then we contemplate.

The fried sweets of Carnival aren't just delicious—they're symbolic. They use up the rich ingredients (butter, eggs, sugar, lard) that were traditionally forbidden during Lent. They're a final burst of sweetness before 40 days of simplicity.

And whether you're in New Orleans eating beignets or in Venice eating frittelle, you're participating in a tradition that's centuries old—a tradition that says it's okay to celebrate, to indulge, to enjoy life's pleasures, as long as you also make space for reflection and restraint.

Curated Selections for Your Italian Carnival Celebration

Ready to celebrate Mardi Gras the Italian way? Here are the essentials:

• Partanna Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1L Tin
• Nutella Hazelnut Chocolate Spread – 13 oz Jar
• Asturi Premium Palmine Italian Pastry Puffs – 7.06 oz

New to Pick & Get? Explore our collection of authentic Italian ingredients and sweets and use code 5OFF on your first order. Because the best celebrations honor tradition—whether you're in New Orleans or Naples.

Buon Carnevale e Buon Mardi Gras! May your Fat Tuesday be sweet, your coffee be strong, and your celebration be joyful.