Make your Valentine's an Italian Valentine's with these tips and free printables.
Coriandoli for Carnevale
Leading up to an Italian Valentine’s, there is the celebration of Carnevale. Typically Fat Tuesday falls right before the holiday. And it wouldn’t be Carnevale without coriandoli.
Coriandoli are confetti. Italian streets are covered with these tiny pieces of multi-colored paper during the first few weeks of February. As children are dressed as superheroes and princesses with masks to celebrate, they run through the streets throwing these tiny pieces of colored paper. It’s a party to be sure!
I have a free printable for you to download below to make your own coriandoli this Carnevale. Simply download and print and use a hole punch to create your own coriandoli. I also have printables for making your own Carnevale masks and Valentine cards below.
This post contains affiliate links, which means that I make I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure here.
Valentine Treats
This month pastry shops in Italy are serving the Valentine treats and specialties that are only available a few weeks out of the year. Things like fried foods before the Lent season begins—when sweets and fried foods are typically given up.
The traditional sweets you’ll find are things like le castagnole: soft little balls of fried dough rolled in sugar. You will also find bocconotti: shortcrust pastry filled with ricotta, cinnamon and candied fruit. And of course, le frappe: crumbly and thin, fried pastry, sprinkled with icing sugar.
You can make your Valentine’s an Italian Valentine’s and make this treat. I’ll share my recipe for le frappe below. They are fun to make and something you can easily make with the kids.
Recipe: Le Frappe
In Rome, this dessert is called le frappe. In other regions of the country, you might see it called by other names.
The ingredients you’ll need are:
– 300 g flour
– 25 g butter
– 40 g sugar
– 1 whole egg plus 2 yolks
– 1 lemon
– 1 tbsp of preferred liqueur to taste (typically anise flavored)
– powdered sugar
– frying oil
To make le frappe, you will sift the flour into a well. Just as if you were making pasta. Put the flaked butter, sugar, whole egg and egg yolks, liqueur and grated peel of a lemon peel into the well. Then mix together quickly.
After it’s mixed together, you will knead the dough, roll it into a bowl and let rest about 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough into one or more thin sheets. With a pasta cutter, cut into strips with the ends cut diagonally.
In a pan, heat plenty of frying oil. When the oil is hot, fry the frappe (a few at a time). Take them out with a slotted spoon when they have reached a medium golden color.
Dry them on absorbent paper. Leave cooling and then sprinkle powdered sugar.
Express your Love with these Italian phrases
Here are a few ways to express your love in Italian this Valentine’s.
Ti amo. I love you.
Ti voglio bene. I like you.
Sono pazzo/a di te. I’m crazy about you.
Mi sono innamorato/a di te. I’m in love with you.
Sei la cosa più bella nella mia vita. You are the most beautiful thing in my life.
Baci ed abbracci. Kisses and hugs.
Con tanto affetto. With much affection/much love.
Valentine Printables
I hope you enjoy the holiday as you make it an Italian Valentine’s this year. I am happy to share these items with you to help you celebrate Carnevale and La Festa di San Valentino.
Make your own coriandoli, customize masks for Carnevale, or print unique Italian valentine cards.
Simply click on any of the links below to download these fun printables at no cost. Enjoy!
