St. Joseph's Day
MARCH 19
St. Joseph, who is the patron saint of the family, is celebrated at the Spring equinox and his day is a feast of bread. At one time,
the Feast of San Giuseppe, as he is called in Italy, was an Italian national holiday. 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. In America, the festival is like a giant potluck dinner, but the dishes served are
similar to those eaten in Italy and are always meatless - from fried croquettes of fish, sardines, calamari, and shrimp to pasta with
anchovies and breadcrumbs, stuffed artichokes, spring vegetable frittatas, fava bean soup or minestrone. But in America, as in
Italy, a highlight of the meal is the special sweets that are prepared. Although the names and shapes of these hot delicate fritters
differ from region to region, they are as much associated with St. Joseph's Day as turkey is to Thanksgiving. They are usually
called zeppole or frittelle; other names are cassatedde, sfinci, or bigne. The pastries may be fried or baked and are sometimes
filled with a sweetened ricotta, pastry cream, or custard. In some areas the zeppole are made of rice while in others they are
based on flour. We are providing you with a choice of baked and fried varieties and hope you will find a favorite among them.
the Feast of San Giuseppe, as he is called in Italy, was an Italian national holiday. 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. In America, the festival is like a giant potluck dinner, but the dishes served are
similar to those eaten in Italy and are always meatless - from fried croquettes of fish, sardines, calamari, and shrimp to pasta with
anchovies and breadcrumbs, stuffed artichokes, spring vegetable frittatas, fava bean soup or minestrone. But in America, as in
Italy, a highlight of the meal is the special sweets that are prepared. Although the names and shapes of these hot delicate fritters
differ from region to region, they are as much associated with St. Joseph's Day as turkey is to Thanksgiving. They are usually
called zeppole or frittelle; other names are cassatedde, sfinci, or bigne. The pastries may be fried or baked and are sometimes
filled with a sweetened ricotta, pastry cream, or custard. In some areas the zeppole are made of rice while in others they are
based on flour. We are providing you with a choice of baked and fried varieties and hope you will find a favorite among them.
| Mangia Bene Pasta |
| Chi mangia bene, vive bene Who eats well, lives well |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
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| One of the lesser known facts about St. Joseph is his status as the patron saint of pastry cooks. The Saint Joseph table usually abounds with a variety of pastries in shapes such as fruits and flowers and especially anything symbolic of the Holy Family. |
2 cups water
1 cup unsalted butter
1-3/4 cups flour, sifted
10 eggs
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Confectioners sugar for dusting
Bring the water and butter to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the flour and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes.
The mixture should be very dry and come away from the sides of the pan.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Then begin to add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
Continue to beat until the dough is very smooth.
Heat the oil in a deep fryer or wide, deep saucepan to 350 to 375 degrees F.
Drop batter by heaping tablespoons into the oil, a few at a time, without crowding.
The zeppole should cook for about 5 minutes getting very brown and crisp.
Drain them on paper towels and let them cool a few minutes.
Sift confectioners sugar over the top.
1 cup unsalted butter
1-3/4 cups flour, sifted
10 eggs
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Confectioners sugar for dusting
Bring the water and butter to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the flour and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes.
The mixture should be very dry and come away from the sides of the pan.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Then begin to add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
Continue to beat until the dough is very smooth.
Heat the oil in a deep fryer or wide, deep saucepan to 350 to 375 degrees F.
Drop batter by heaping tablespoons into the oil, a few at a time, without crowding.
The zeppole should cook for about 5 minutes getting very brown and crisp.
Drain them on paper towels and let them cool a few minutes.
Sift confectioners sugar over the top.
Sfinci (pronounced SFEEN-gee)
(Makes about 24)
1 cup water
3/4 cup of unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
1-3/4 cups flour
6 eggs
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Filling:
1-1/2 pounds ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
4 tablespoons minced candied orange peel (optional)
Topping:
Minced pistachio nuts
To make the sfinci:
Bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the flour and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes.
The mixture should be very dry and come away from the sides of the pan.
Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes.
Begin adding the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
Continue to beat until the dough is very smooth.
Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large deep saucepan to 375 degrees F.
Drop spoonfuls of the dough into the oil, a few at a time, with crowding.
Cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Cool.
To make the filling:
Press the ricotta through a sieve.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the ricotta and set aside.
Combine the remaining ricotta with the other filling ingredients.
To assemble the sfinci:
Slice the top off the cooled sfinci and fill with the ricotta filling.
Replace the top and smear with a little of the reserved ricotta.
Sprinkle top with pistachio nuts.
(Makes about 24)
1 cup water
3/4 cup of unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
1-3/4 cups flour
6 eggs
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Filling:
1-1/2 pounds ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
4 tablespoons minced candied orange peel (optional)
Topping:
Minced pistachio nuts
To make the sfinci:
Bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the flour and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes.
The mixture should be very dry and come away from the sides of the pan.
Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes.
Begin adding the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
Continue to beat until the dough is very smooth.
Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large deep saucepan to 375 degrees F.
Drop spoonfuls of the dough into the oil, a few at a time, with crowding.
Cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Cool.
To make the filling:
Press the ricotta through a sieve.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the ricotta and set aside.
Combine the remaining ricotta with the other filling ingredients.
To assemble the sfinci:
Slice the top off the cooled sfinci and fill with the ricotta filling.
Replace the top and smear with a little of the reserved ricotta.
Sprinkle top with pistachio nuts.
Frittelle di San Giuseppe
(Makes 12 - 14 fritters)
2 cups milk
Pinch of salt
Strips of zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup Arborio rice
8 ounces Zeppole di San Guiseppe pastry dough
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Grated zest of 1 orange
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Granulated sugar
Bring the milk, salt, and lemon strips to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Stir in the rice and reduce the heat to low.
Cover and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, 15-20 minutes.
Discard the lemon strips. Spread the rice on a plate to cool.
When the rice is cool, combine it with the zeppole dough and grated zests.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Put the dough mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a tip that will pipe out strips of dough.
Pipe out 2 inches wide by 4 inches long rectangles onto the parchment paper.
Cut the parchment into squares around each frittella.
Heat the oil to 325 degrees F.
Place each frittella onto a slotted spoon with the parchment paper and slide it into the oil.
The paper will come off of each fritter as it is frying and you can remove it.
Allow to cook for about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cool.
Sprinkle with a lot of sugar.
This page was updated and revised on 01/22/13
(Makes 12 - 14 fritters)
2 cups milk
Pinch of salt
Strips of zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup Arborio rice
8 ounces Zeppole di San Guiseppe pastry dough
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Grated zest of 1 orange
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Granulated sugar
Bring the milk, salt, and lemon strips to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Stir in the rice and reduce the heat to low.
Cover and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, 15-20 minutes.
Discard the lemon strips. Spread the rice on a plate to cool.
When the rice is cool, combine it with the zeppole dough and grated zests.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Put the dough mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a tip that will pipe out strips of dough.
Pipe out 2 inches wide by 4 inches long rectangles onto the parchment paper.
Cut the parchment into squares around each frittella.
Heat the oil to 325 degrees F.
Place each frittella onto a slotted spoon with the parchment paper and slide it into the oil.
The paper will come off of each fritter as it is frying and you can remove it.
Allow to cook for about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cool.
Sprinkle with a lot of sugar.
This page was updated and revised on 01/22/13
Zeppole di San Giuseppe
(Makes about 12 (2-1/2-inch) zeppoles
(Makes about 12 (2-1/2-inch) zeppoles
Pastry:
1 cup water
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs
Filling:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup whole milk
2 egg yolks
1/2 tablespoon dark rum
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Maraschino cherries
To make the pastry:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt.
Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
With a wooden spoon, beat in flour all at once.
Return to low heat.
Continue beating until mixture forms a ball and leaves side of pan.
Remove from heat.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating hard after each addition until smooth.
Continue beating until dough is satiny and breaks in strands.
Allow the mixture to cool.
Transfer the dough to a pastry bag with a large star tip.
For each pastry, pipe a 2-1/2 -inch spiral with a raised outer wall on the baking sheet.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.
Remove and allow to cool before filling.
To make the filling:
Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan.
In a bowl, whisk together milk and egg yolks
Whisk milk mixture into sugar mixture.
Place the saucepan over medium heat.
Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.
Boil for 1 minute; remove from heat.
Stir in rum, orange zest, and vanilla.
Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl.
Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface.
Allow to cool for 30 minutes and then refrigerate until cold.
Fold in the whipped cream.
To assemble the zeppole:
Cut the pastries in half horizontally.
Transfer the filling mixture to a pastry bag with a star tip.
Pipe some of the filling onto the cut side of the bottom half of each pastry.
Place the top half of the pastry on the filling.
Pipe a small amount of the filling into the hole in the center of each pastry.
Place a maraschino cherry in the middle.
Dust the pastries with confectioners' sugar.
1 cup water
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs
Filling:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup whole milk
2 egg yolks
1/2 tablespoon dark rum
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Maraschino cherries
To make the pastry:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt.
Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
With a wooden spoon, beat in flour all at once.
Return to low heat.
Continue beating until mixture forms a ball and leaves side of pan.
Remove from heat.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating hard after each addition until smooth.
Continue beating until dough is satiny and breaks in strands.
Allow the mixture to cool.
Transfer the dough to a pastry bag with a large star tip.
For each pastry, pipe a 2-1/2 -inch spiral with a raised outer wall on the baking sheet.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.
Remove and allow to cool before filling.
To make the filling:
Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan.
In a bowl, whisk together milk and egg yolks
Whisk milk mixture into sugar mixture.
Place the saucepan over medium heat.
Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.
Boil for 1 minute; remove from heat.
Stir in rum, orange zest, and vanilla.
Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl.
Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface.
Allow to cool for 30 minutes and then refrigerate until cold.
Fold in the whipped cream.
To assemble the zeppole:
Cut the pastries in half horizontally.
Transfer the filling mixture to a pastry bag with a star tip.
Pipe some of the filling onto the cut side of the bottom half of each pastry.
Place the top half of the pastry on the filling.
Pipe a small amount of the filling into the hole in the center of each pastry.
Place a maraschino cherry in the middle.
Dust the pastries with confectioners' sugar.
Fillings for Zeppole
You can fill zeppole after they are fried and cooled.
Put the filling in a pastry bag with a plain tube with a 1/2-inch opening.
Push the tip into the side of each zeppole and squeeze some of the filling inside.
Alternately, you can cut the zeppole almost in half and spoon some of the filling
into the center.
Ricotta Filling:
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Combine all the ingredients with an electric mixer.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes before filling zeppole.
Limoncello Cream Filling:
Use the filling recipe in Zeppole di San Giuseppe above, but ... omit the rum,
orange zest, and vanilla, and add lemon zest and limoncello instead. You can
add the whipped cream or omit it.
You can fill zeppole after they are fried and cooled.
Put the filling in a pastry bag with a plain tube with a 1/2-inch opening.
Push the tip into the side of each zeppole and squeeze some of the filling inside.
Alternately, you can cut the zeppole almost in half and spoon some of the filling
into the center.
Ricotta Filling:
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Combine all the ingredients with an electric mixer.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes before filling zeppole.
Limoncello Cream Filling:
Use the filling recipe in Zeppole di San Giuseppe above, but ... omit the rum,
orange zest, and vanilla, and add lemon zest and limoncello instead. You can
add the whipped cream or omit it.
Zeppole
(Makes 18 - 20 zeppole)
(Makes 18 - 20 zeppole)
| This shaker with a 1 cup capacity is great to use as a flour sifter when rolling out pasta or pastry dough or for garnishing your zeppole or French toast with confectioners' sugar. |
| These high-temperature thermometers takes the guesswork out of deep-frying zeppole, chicken, doughnuts, and French fries, or making jelly, Italian buttercream icing, fudge, or other candy. |
