The Zeppole are a sweet typical of Southern Italy and are usually prepared during the feast of St. Joseph, on 19th March. It is said that the first written recipe for Zeppole dates back to 1837 and it was found in the Treaty of Neapolitan cuisine by Ippolito Cavalcanti. Today, there are several variations of the Zeppole of St. Joseph and, depending on the region, they can be fried or baked.
Difficulty: Medium
Time: 60 min
Serving: 8-10 people
Ingredients
- For the choux pastry:
- 150 gr flour
- 250 gr water
- 75 gr margarine
- 3 medium eggs
- 1 pinch of salt
- For the cream:
- 60 gr flour
- 150 gr sugar
- 3 eggs (yolks)
- 500 ml milk
- 1 bio lemon
- Vanillin
Preparation for the cream:
In a saucepan combine flour and sugar, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract (if using a vanilla pod, add it at the end), then add the yolks and stir slowly without forming lumps. Pour the milk gently. Peel a lemon zest and combine. Put on the heat and stir until it is very thick.
You can also prepare the cream in the microwave putting the mixture at 800/900 watts for 6 minutes and stirring 3 times during the cooking. It is excellent and no lumps!
At the end cover with plastic wrap and make it cool.
Preparation for the choux pastry:
In a saucepan, add water, margarine and salt. Cook for about 10 minutes until the water start boiling and the margarine is completely melted. Add the flour and stir constantly until the mixture becomes a ball and breaks away from the walls of the saucepan. Turn off heat and make it cool. After about 10 minutes, add the eggs one at a time and blend with a hand mixer with spiral whisks. Put all in a pastry bag and create little zeppole on a baking sheet lined with wax paper allowing enough room in between each other. Bake at 200 degrees for 25 mins. If you wish to fry them, bake for 10 min and then fry in hot olive oil. Garnish with cream and black cherry.