Zeppole for St. Joseph's Day

Ingredients

• pkg. dry yeast
• 11/2 cups warm water
• 4 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup raisins (soaked in Brandy till plump)
• Canola
• oil, for deep-frying (she used vegetable oil)
• Honey preferred
• or
• Confectionery Sugar
• Mix dry yeast with warm water in a small bowl.
• In a large bowl, add flour, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the flour with a
• wooden spoon, and add the eggs, water, and yeast. Mix dry ingredients into well,
• little by little, until it reaches bread dough consistency (if the dough still
• sticks to the bowl, add more flour). If using raisins drain, and fold in this
• point. Cover and let rise until double in bulk.
• In a dutch oven, pour
• oil to a depth of 2 inches and heat to 375 degrees. Fry dough by the tablespoonful in
• hot oil (dip spoon in flour, if necessary, to keep dough from sticking). Drain
• on paper towels. Place zeppole in large bowl and pour honey(grandma's style) or
• powder sugar over them.
• Zeppole (fritter style)
• 1
• tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2
• cup sugar, plus 3 tablespoons
• 2
• tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1
• stick butter
• 1/4
• teaspoon salt
• 1
• cup water
• 1
• cup all-purpose flour
• 4
• eggs
• Olive
• oil, for frying
• Add
• the 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Set aside.
• In
• a medium saucepan combine the butter, salt, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and water
• over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Take pan off the heat and stir in the flour.
• Return pan to the heat and stir continuously until mixture forms a ball, about 3
• to 5 minutes. Transfer the flour mixture to a medium bowl. Using an electric
• hand mixer on low speed, add eggs, 1 at a time, incorporating each egg
• completely before adding the next. Beat until smooth. If not frying immediately,
• cover with plastic wrap and reserve in the refrigerator.
• Meanwhile,
• pour enough oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the
• oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F.
• Using
• a large tablespoon carefully drop about a tablespoon of the dough into the hot
• olive oil, frying in batches. Turn the zeppole once or twice, cooking until
• golden and puffed up, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Toss with
• cinnamon-sugar. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately.
• Sicilian
• Style (My husbands family)
• 2-1/2
• cups self rising flour 
• 1-
• 1/2 lb. Ricotta Whole Milk( 1- 16 oz and 1- 8 oz container)
• 4 eggs
• 1/2
• cup sugar
• 1
• teaspoon vanilla extract
• cinnamon
• and sugar mixture (enough to coat after frying)
• Heat
• a dutch oven 2 inches deep with vegetable oil
• Beat
• 4 eggs, the ricotta, sugar and vanilla extract. Mix well.
• Add
• the flour and mix well. In case batter is a little stiff add a small amount of
• milk and mix well.
• Gently
• drop by tablespoons into the hot oil. Drain on paper towels.
• Roll
• freshly fried zeppole in cinnamon and sugar mixture or confectionery
• sugar.
• Zeppole DI San Giuseppe
• (St. Joseph's Day Cream Puffs)
• Mom's Version (Bari Style) Creamy
• 1 cup water
• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup flour
• 4 eggs
• 1
• teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• Beat eggs in
• bowl set aside. Measure 1 cup flour and set aside.
• In a heavy non stick
• saucepan, pour 1 cup water and a stick of butter (not margarine) add zests and
• bring to a boil on medium heat, leave on heat and add flour stirring quickly
• with a wooden spoon until flour is dissolved and comes together.
• Remove from
• heat, add eggs and beat very rapidly with the wooden spoon until a ball of dough
• if formed...Note its very important to beat this fast.
• Spoon one tablespoon
• of dough or teaspoon for small puffs on an ungreased cookie sheet. Shape into
• logs for eclairs or round for cream puffs. Bake on 400 for 1/2 hour, do not open
• oven or puffs will not cook correctly. When browned remove from oven, cool, cut
• in half to fill.
• You can fill with puffs whipped cream, Italian pastry creme,
• vanilla pudding. Eclairs also will have chocolate frosting on top filled with
• vanilla pudding
• Remove to rack and cool completely. Cut slit in side of each
• puff and fill with below filling or sweetened whipped cream:
• Ricotta
• Filling
• 3 cups Ricotta cheese
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• extract
• 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon
• peel
• 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
• Combine all ingredients except
• chips and beat with electric mixer about 10 minutes. Fold in chocolate chips.
• Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.
• or Cafe Style filling:
• 4
• large egg yolks
• 8 tablespoons or 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons
• unbleached all-purpose flour
• pinch of sea salt
• 2 cups whole
• milk
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2/3 cup Ricotta cheese whole milk
• 2
• tablespoons confectionary sugar
• In a small heavy weight saucepan, beat
• the yolks, sugar, salt and flour all at once until all lumps are gone. Slowly
• add milk and whisk to make a smooth consistency. Heat slowly over medium heat
• till this mixture thickens stirring constantly.
• At the very start, whisk
• slowly and then a little quicker as the cream starts feeling thicker. Wait for a
• simmering boil to appear. At this point lower the heat to very low as you finish
• getting the perfect cream consistency. As the whisk leaves a trail as it stirs,
• this is the indication that the cream is ready. When the pudding has thickened
• remove from stove and cover with wax paper not to form a skin. Refrigerate
• overnight or at least 4 hours.
• Ricotta
• In a bowl add ricotta, sugar
• and almond flavoring, stir till completely mixed. Fold in pudding. Fill cream
• puffs. Keep refrigerated. These also look nice with a mixture of powdered sugar
• and water glaze with a cherry on top.
• Making a cream puff style dough and creamy filling..
• 1 cup water
• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup flour
• 4 eggs
• Beat eggs in bowl set aside. Measure 1 cup flour and set aside.
• In a heavy non stick saucepan, pour 1 cup water and a stick of butter (not
• margarine) and bring to a boil on medium heat, leave on heat and add flour
• stirring quickly with a wooden spoon until flour is dissolved and comes