There are two things which mark the pre-Lenten days of Carnevale:  masks and sweets specific to this time of year.  These dolci are part of the climate of excess and partying that precedes the period of abstinence and repentance of Lent. Recipes tend to be from the popular tradition, that is, fairly simple with easily available and cheap ingredients.  While there are a few sweets that are baked, such as the Tuscan schiacciata – a (usually) white cake, often orange-scented – fried dolci are really the symbol of this time of year.  Every region has variations on this theme, from Alto Adige to Sicily.   Throughout the country, similar sweets have different names.  The two most common styles are rectangular-shaped dough that is fried and dusted with powdered sugar (frappe, chiacchiere, bugie, crostoli) and balls of dough, sometimes filled, that are then fried (castagnole.)  Sounds dull, but when they’re good, they’re very, very good and worth every caloric bite!