Sicilian Rice Zeppole: The Crispy Aci-Style Recipe for Father’s Day
Say March 19 in Sicily and you say fried sweets with honey. This year, to celebrate my husband’s name day and Father’s Day, I decided to set aside the Neapolitan choux pastry and go back to my roots: the Rice Zeppole.
Zeppole or Crispelle? A matter of crunch
Some call them crispelle di riso (typical of the city of Catania), but in Aci, where I lived for many years, we call them Zeppole. The difference? My version is thinner and incredibly crunchy on the outside, avoiding that “soggy” effect of the larger versions you find elsewhere. They are golden dripping sticks, perfumed with orange and cinnamon.
The Tradition That Accepts No Compromise: Frying
You know I love lighter oven bakes, but for Sicilian rice zeppole tradition does not allow substitutes: they must be fried! The secret of my recipe, adapted from an old book of Sicilian sweets, lies in the perfect balance of the honey (often thinned with orange juice) and the generous dusting of powdered sugar and cinnamon at the end.
Why make them at home?
You don’t need to be in a pastry shop on Via Etnea to enjoy these treats. With a few steps and the measurements I’ve perfected over time, you can bring the scent of my beloved Sicily to your table wherever you are. A dessert that tastes of family, celebration and home.
CURIOSITY: Zeppole or rice crispelle are usually prepared for Father’s Day, celebrated on March 19, but in Sicily you can now enjoy them all year round! The story goes that the Benedictine nuns of the monastery in Catania made these sweets for the first time; for this reason zeppole are often also called “benedettine”. Also, depending on the area (Catania, Messina, Syracuse) they may be called “crespelle”, besides various dialect forms such as ‘zippuli’ or ‘crispieddi’.
For Father’s Day try these recipes as well:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 4 Hours
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: about 45 rice zeppole
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Sicily
- Seasonality: Saint Joseph, Father’s Day
Ingredients
⚠ IN THIS RECIPE THERE IS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work at no extra cost to you!
- 1 1/2 cups Originario rice (approx. 10.6 oz)
- 1 2/3 cups milk (+ about 2 3/4 tbsp)
- cup water ((about 7 fl oz))
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (00) (sifted)
- tbsp fresh baker's yeast (approx. 10 g)
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 oranges (untreated zest)
- 1 tsp salt
- as needed peanut oil (for frying)
- 4 tbsp orange honey (or wildflower honey)
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp hot water
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- as needed powdered sugar
- 1 orange (untreated zest)
Tools
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Slotted spoon
- 1 Spatula
Steps
To prepare the rice zeppole start by pouring the milk and water into a saucepan.
Add the salt as well.
Finally add the rice, then bring to a boil.
Cook over low heat, stirring often, as you would for a normal risotto. The rice must “overcook” gently until the milk is completely absorbed and the mixture is creamy and almost sticky.*
Turn off the heat, transfer to a large bowl and let it cool slightly for a few minutes.
Once warm, add the sugar, the orange zest and mix.
In a separate glass dissolve the fresh yeast in 40 ml of warm milk and add it to the rice mixture.
Finally incorporate the sifted flour little by little until the dough is workable but still soft, and mix with a wooden spoon.
When the dough is more consistent, knead with your hands until all ingredients are fully absorbed.
Cover with a plate and let the mixture rest for 3-4 hours in a warm place. The longer it rests, the lighter the fried result will be. If it’s very cold, I recommend placing it in the switched-off oven with the light on**.
After this time, lightly flour a cutting board about 4 3/4 in wide (use semolina flour for an extra crunch), place some of the rice mixture and level it with a spatula.
With the blade of a knife, cut it into ropes about 3/4 in thick and shape the zeppole one by one. Drop them into plenty of hot oil a few at a time so the temperature doesn’t fall too much.
Fry them for about 2-3 minutes over low heat, turning often until they become a uniform dark golden. They must not burn, mind you!
Place the rice zeppole on frying paper or, alternatively, on kitchen paper towel, without overlapping so the crust stays glassy.
Meanwhile, dissolve the honey with the orange juice and a level tablespoon of hot water. Add the cinnamon and orange zest and stir until the mixture becomes fluid and transparent.
Transfer the still-warm rice zeppole to a serving plate, drizzle with the honey sauce you prepared and finish by dusting with more cinnamon and plenty of powdered sugar.
Serve immediately while still hot and crunchy!
And voila… the rice zeppole are ready to be enjoyed!
Enjoy from La Cucina di FeFÈ!
Shots with the Sicilian Pastry Book that inspired this recipe.
Storage
👉 To appreciate all their crispness, rice zeppole should be eaten immediately, i.e. just fried and still hot or warm. They should be eaten within 1-2 hours of frying. The rice inside is moist and over time that moisture migrates to the outer crust, softening it. The honey also tends to be absorbed. Never put them in the refrigerator (the rice would become hard and the honey sticky). Keep them on a plate covered by a glass cloche or a layer of perforated parchment paper (to let moisture escape). They can be kept for about 24 hours. Do not seal them in a plastic or glass container because it will create condensation in a few minutes, turning the crisp crust into a “steamed” texture.
Tips, notes, variations and suggestions
🔵* Important: letting the rice absorb the milk does not mean letting it stick or dry out in the pan; it should remain rather creamy, otherwise it will no longer be workable once it cools and is transferred to a bowl.
🔵**If you know you won’t serve them all immediately, the best strategy is not to store the finished pastry, but the risen dough: keep it in the refrigerator for 24 hours in a bowl covered with cling film. When you want some, take it out, shape the sticks and fry them at the moment. You’ll have perfect, crunchy, hot zeppole in 5 minutes.
🔵If you can’t find orange honey or it’s too intense, you can use a delicate wildflower honey.
🔵Choosing the rice: the tradition calls for Originario (round grain and rich in starch). If you can’t find it, Roma is a good substitute. Avoid rices that remain “al dente” like parboiled.
🔵If you don’t have untreated fresh oranges, you can opt for a drop of orange blossom essence or lemon zest mixed with an extra pinch of cinnamon to save the aromatic profile.
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
1. How do I prevent them from splitting while frying?
The secret is compacting the dough and the oil temperature: by shaping thin sticks and plunging them into oil at 338-356°F (170-180°C), the internal moisture evaporates quickly, creating a crispy crust before the rice absorbs too much oil.
2. Why must the rice be overcooked?
The rice should be cooked in the milk until it is almost a cream. The starch released will act as a natural “binder”, allowing you not to use too much flour, which would make the sweet rubbery.
3. Can I prepare the dough in advance?
Yes, in fact it is recommended. The rice must be completely cold and “rested” to be shaped into thin sticks without falling apart.
