Name: Calzoncelli di castagne
Prep time: 65 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 500 g All-purpose flour (For the dough, including 20 g reserved for dusting.); 25 g Sugar (For the dough.); 1,300 ml Extra-virgin olive oil (100 ml for the dough and 1200 ml for the frying bath in a deep 20 cm pan; the pastries do not absorb all the frying oil.); 200 ml White wine (Use 180 ml first and reserve 20 ml for bringing the dough together.); 250 g Cooked peeled chestnuts (Drained weight; mash while soft.); 100 g Dark chocolate (Finely chop before melting.); 100 ml Cooked grape must (Use thick grape must syrup.); 5 g Orange zest (Colored zest only, from fruit with edible peel.); 1 g Ground cinnamon (For the filling.); 0.5 piece Cloves (Finely crush half a clove.); 20 g Powdered sugar (Dust over the cooled pastries.)

Use cooked peeled chestnuts and thick cooked grape must; keep the filling cool before sealing the pastry.

Make ahead Prepare the dough and filling before shaping. Fry the pastries close to serving and dust them after they cool.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 1 hr 5 min
Cook: 55 min
Rest: 30 min
Serves: 10
Difficulty: Medium

Calzoncelli di castagne

Prep 1 hr 5 min · Cook 55 min · Rest 30 min · Serves 10 · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

10 servings

Dough

500 g4 cups
All-purpose flourFor the dough, including 20 g reserved for dusting.For the dough, including ¾ oz reserved for dusting.
25 g2 tbsp
SugarFor the dough.For the dough.
200 ml¾ cup
White wineUse 180 ml first and reserve 20 ml for bringing the dough together.Use ¾ cup first and reserve 1¼ tbsp for bringing the dough together.

1,300 ml5½ cups
Extra-virgin olive oil100 ml for the dough and 1200 ml for the frying bath in a deep 20 cm pan; the pastries do not absorb all the frying oil.½ cup for the dough and 5 cups for the frying bath in a deep 7¾ in pan; the pastries do not absorb all the frying oil.

Filling

250 g9 oz
Cooked peeled chestnutsDrained weight; mash while soft.Drained weight; mash while soft.
100 g3½ oz
Dark chocolateFinely chop before melting.Finely chop before melting.
100 ml½ cup
Cooked grape mustUse thick grape must syrup.Use thick grape must syrup.
5 g5 g
Orange zestColored zest only, from fruit with edible peel.Colored zest only, from fruit with edible peel.
1 g⅓ tsp
Ground cinnamonFor the filling.For the filling.
0.5 piece½ piece
ClovesFinely crush half a clove.Finely crush half a clove.

Finish

20 g2½ tbsp
Powdered sugarDust over the cooled pastries.Dust over the cooled pastries.

Equipment

Pasta machine or rolling pin
Food mill or potato ricer
Pastry wheel
Deep frying pan
Frying thermometer
Slotted spoon

Method

Combine 480 g flour and the granulated sugar. Add 100 ml oil and 180 ml wine, then knead until cohesive. Use the reserved 20 ml wine in 5 ml additions only if dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.Combine 1 lb flour and the granulated sugar. Add ½ cup oil and ¾ cup wine, then knead until cohesive. Use the reserved 1¼ tbsp wine in 1 tsp additions only if dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Mash the drained chestnuts through a ricer. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over gently simmering water, keeping the bowl clear of the water. Mix chocolate, chestnuts, grape must, zest, cinnamon and the finely crushed half-clove. Leave the filling to cool until it holds a small mound.Mash the drained chestnuts through a ricer. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over gently simmering water, keeping the bowl clear of the water. Mix chocolate, chestnuts, grape must, zest, cinnamon and the finely crushed half-clove. Leave the filling to cool until it holds a small mound.
Roll the dough to about 2 mm, using the reserved 20 g flour sparingly on the board. Lay small mounds of filling, about 11 g each, along one half of a sheet, leaving a clear border around each. Fold over the other half and press out the air around the filling.Roll the dough to about 2 mm, using the reserved ¾ oz flour sparingly on the board. Lay small mounds of filling, about ½ oz each, along one half of a sheet, leaving a clear border around each. Fold over the other half and press out the air around the filling.
Cut into roughly 7 cm squares with the pastry wheel and press the edges firmly. Reroll the trimmings once and continue until the dough and filling are used, making about 40 pastries.Cut into roughly 2¾ in squares with the pastry wheel and press the edges firmly. Reroll the trimmings once and continue until the dough and filling are used, making about 40 pastries.
Heat the 1200 ml frying oil to 170°C in a deep 20 cm pan, leaving generous space above the oil. Fry 3 pastries at a time for about 3–4 minutes, turning once, until golden on both sides. Let the oil return to 170°C between batches; allow about 55 minutes for all batches.Heat the 5 cups frying oil to 350°F in a deep 7¾ in pan, leaving generous space above the oil. Fry 3 pastries at a time for about 3–4 minutes, turning once, until golden on both sides. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches; allow about 55 minutes for all batches.
Lift onto absorbent paper, then move to a rack. Once cool, sift the measured powdered sugar over the pastries and serve.Lift onto absorbent paper, then move to a rack. Once cool, sift the measured powdered sugar over the pastries and serve.