Hello Bakers,
On Friday I posted Zeppole and got several requests for a tutorial and here it is. Zeppole originated in Spain. I consulted my ex, Chef Daniel who is from Milan and an expert on Italian cuisine. He told me that the Spanish court manipulated flour prices so that it was very expensive for anyone who was not wealthy.
Eventually, Zeppole migrated to Italy via Naples and were the subject of this lovely little poem. written by Gianbattista Basile
1566-1632
Le Muse Napolitane
Cunti (IV 6) (Ecloga VI)
...tre so le coose che la casa strudeno,
zeppole, pane caudo e maccarune...
The translation is fascinating:
three things destroy families,
zeppole, pizza and pasta
It was the expensive ingredients that ruined families according to this poet.
Today - Zeppole can be made with ingredients you have in your baker’s pantry. They can be made with with either the sour cream or ricotta. And garnish with either cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar or both!
This go together quickly and easily - they make a quick dessert. This is one for your bakers repertoire - file under quick, easy and delicious. They can also be filled with pastry cream or jam - yummy.
Mixing time: 15 minutes
Rest time: 1 hour
Frying and Garnishing:10 minutes.
Yield: 30-32 Zeppole
Equipment:
Medium to large pot for frying, deep fry thermometer, digital if possible, stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, scale, 18” piping bag, 807 or medium plain round tip, scissors, whisk,
Medium bowl for cinnamon sugar, microplane or zester, Small baking tray lined with paper towels, strainer or spider to remove zeppole from the hot oil.
Ingredients:
165g all purpose flour
teaspoons (5g) baking powder
¼ teas salt (1g)
30g sugar
Zest of ½ orange
75g (1 and ½ large) eggs - whisked until smooth not foamy
***to measure part of an egg - start by whisking an egg until smooth - weigh the whole eggs first and adjust with the whisked egg
165g sour cream or ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cinnamon sugar topping
198g sugar
2 teaspoons (5g) cinnamon
Whisk sugar and cinnamon sugar together in a medium bowl and set aside
Zeppole Mise en place
Powdered sugar - strainer
Oil for deep frying
Canola or vegetable oil (48 ounces)
Note***Oil for donuts can be reused several times if it is used to only fry donuts.
Let the oil cool and then strain - I use the original oil bottle to store my donut oil.
To mix the dough:
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Combine the sugar, orange zest and sour cream or ricotta in the bowl of the stand mixer and mix on low speed for 1 minute and then medium speed for 1 minute - stop mixer and scrape down when necessary.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the eggs. Mix until combined.
On low speed add the flour mixture.
Mix only until combined - do not overmix.
Set aside to rest for 45 minutes at room temperature.
Resting batter and piping bag ready to go
The batter can be refrigerated for a few hours before frying - if cold it will take a little longer to cook.
In the meanwhile, set up fryer oil, a tray with paper towels and the bowl of cinnamon sugar or dust with powdered sugar.
Scrape the batter into the pastry bag fitted with an 807 plain round tip - they will work without the tip - cut the bag about 5/8” straight across.
Heat oil to 350 degrees. Pipe the batter into the hot oil into 1 1/2” lengths and fry for 2-3 minutes until they are a beautiful overall golden brown. With a strainer or spider remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
Frying Zeppole
Dredge in cinnamon sugar while still warm. You can also dredge them in powdered sugar.
Finished Zeppole