Its origins
So where does this famous Estaque doughnut come from?
Even if you can find chichis in the centre of Marseille, it’s in the 3 chichis stalls in l’Estaque district that you should try this non-dietary treat, which is often confused with the Churros. Never tell an Estaque resident that Chichi Frégi is nothing more than a Churros!
The Churros is twisted, thin and short: the Chichi is thick, puffy and about 20 cm long.
The dough is airier, more fluid and lighter. Made from wheat flour, chickpea flour and orange blossom water, the dough is immersed in 20 litres of boiling oil. It’s a sort of large ‘sausage’ that is then cut into fritters of around 20 cm with large scissors.
It can be eaten plain, barely crisp on top and very airy inside, rolled in sugar, topped with hazelnut paste, or covered with whipped cream.
It’s part of what we now call street food, but it was invented in the 1930s and popularised by workers in the tile works and factories of l’Estaque. They ate it standing up, under a tree, or on the harbour. A real pleasure break!
A true institution
Over the years, Le Chichi has become a favourite excuse to go out for a stroll: for many Marseillais, Sunday outings take them to l’Estaque, where they stop off on their way back from swimming on the Côte Bleue (Carry, Sausset etc…). It’s almost a must if you want to tell your friends all about your perfect day!
And if, on top of that, you offer them a ‘bada’… well, there you go! The ‘bada’ is the little piece left over from the dough, the one that you can’t sell because it’s too short, but which gives so much pleasure to the lucky person who receives it! It’s not just a commercial gesture, it’s also a bond of friendship that encourages people to chat, and that’s how the long queues form in front of the 3 Chichis stalls …. People here are strangely disciplined! They are patient, chat amongst themselves and are already looking forward to smelling the Chichi!
The stalls of l’Estaque will welcome you to sit down at their table, your ‘chichi’ in hand, as long as you accompany it with a drink.
Last but not least, ‘chichi’ is a word derived from the Italian ‘chéché’, meaning chickpea, but it is also the Provençal name for a man’s genitalia …. It’s true that the shape of this doughnut is very evocative!
