Today we say goodbye to Carnival 2026: with Fat Tuesday the most colorful and joyful period of the year comes to an end, and tomorrow, Ash Wednesday, marks the start of Lent. But there are still a few hours to indulge, have fun, and maybe enjoy one last culinary treat. For this final day of celebration, we will prepare a traditional Sicilian dessert that cannot be missing for Carnival: the Sfince. Our Cesarina Alessandra from Palermo shares her recipe.
“I’m sharing my grandmother Maria’s sweet and savory Sfince recipe. During the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, she would make them in large quantities for her eleven children! She never wrote the recipe down and always cooked by eye. I’m thrilled to have recreated her dough: every time I make Sfince, I’m flooded with cherished childhood memories”.
Carnival Sfince
Sfince are fried balls of leavened dough, golden and slightly crispy outside, soft inside. Simple to make, yet irresistibly addictive. Like many traditional recipes from humble origins, each family has its own version: some use eggs, some don’t; some add yeast, some leave them plain; some sweet, some savory; some filled, some left empty. In Palermo, especially in February, you’ll find endless variations. Not to be confused with Sfince di San Giuseppe, these treats - also called Sfinci or Sfinge - likely have Arabic origins, from “isfang,” meaning “sponge.”
It’s time to tie on your apron, get your hands in the dough, heat the oil, and fry as if there’s no tomorrow to fully enjoy this last day of Carnival!
Carnival Sfince
From Sicily, irresistible bites of leavened fried dough, delicious both sweet and savory
DifficultyEasy
Preparation time2h 30m
Servings3
€
CostLow
Ingredients
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 5 g fresh yeast
- About 220 g water
- Salt to taste
- Oil for frying (recommended: sunflower oil)
Optional savory fillings:- Chopped anchovies
- Anchovies and caciocavallo or tuma cheese
- Chopped salami
- Chopped mortadella
- Blanched broccoli or cauliflower
Optional sweet fillings:- Cinnamon and chopped apple
- Dark chocolate chips
Method
- In a bowl, combine sifted flour, yeast dissolved in a little warm water with a pinch of sugar, water in a thin stream, and finally salt.
- Mix well with a whisk until you get a batter that’s neither too thick nor too thin. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours (if short on time, double the yeast and let rest 30 minutes).
- Once the dough has nearly doubled, heat the oil and drop spoonfuls directly into the oil until golden. If adding filling, place a portion of sweet or savory filling into each spoonful before frying.
- For sweet Sfince, after frying, dust with sugar mixed with cinnamon or dip in honey.
The Cesarine Experiences dedicated to Carnival
Confetti, costumes, parades, floats, sweets... in one word: carnival. That magical celebration that captivates both adults and children alike. From strufoli, chiacchiere, frittelle, to castagnole, dive into the best experiences offered by Cesarine, dedicated to the most whimsical weeks of the year, where there's only one rule: have fun!
Food experiences
Carnival on the table: tradition, flavors, and legendsHosted by Marisa
Paciano
€82 per guest
Shared Experience
5 (13)
Cooking classes
Carnival ChiacchiereHosted by Antonella
Reggio Calabria
€140 per guest
Shared Experience
5 (32)
Cooking classes
Sweet Carnival: Chiacchiere and local flavorsHosted by Rosa
Barone
€140 per guest
Shared Experience
Cooking classes
Carnival dessertsHosted by Gianna
Villastrada
€113 per guest
Shared Experience