Zeppole Recipe

St. Joseph’s feast day is still celebrated with families gathering together to create enormous buffets for neighbors and friends. The table is said to overflow with an abundance of food that the Father of the Holy Family provides. The centerpiece of St. Joseph’s Day festivities is an alter laid with fine linens and decorated with flowers and decorative breads.

Zeppole is a fried pastry that is served warm and dusted with confectioners’ sugar or
cinnamon-sugar. Zeppole are a traditional treat made for St. Joseph’s Day.

 

Cinnamon Zeppole
 (Makes about 30)

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 cup water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup flour
3 eggs
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Directions:

Mix cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Set aside. Combine water, butter, and salt
in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until butter melts. Bring to a boil Add
flour and stir to blend. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until dough
forms a ball, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add eggs, one at a time,
blending well after each addition. When complete, dough should be glossy and
smooth.

Heat oil in a deep saucepan or deep fryer. Carefully drop mounded tablespoons
of dough into the oil. Cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Only fry a
few at a time or as many as your pan will hold without crowding. Use a slotted
spoon to remove the zeppole from the oil and place on paper towels to drain.
Immediately roll zeppole in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Serve warm.

Note: Frying the dough for 3-4 minutes will give you a tender zeppole.
Frying for 5 minutes will give you a crisper zeppole.

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