St. Joseph’s Zeppole with Sausage and Greens. Those who have been following my blog for a while already know that one of the things I enjoy most in the kitchen is revisiting sweet recipes in a savory way, such as Savory Croissants and Savory Struffoli.
This time it’s the turn of St. Joseph’s Zeppole with Sausage and Greens!!
Indeed, because in a few days, on March 19th, it will be Father’s Day, and tradition dictates preparing St. Joseph’s Zeppole, which are sweets made of choux pastry filled with custard and garnished with maraschino cherries.
I’ve already baked quite a few, and since choux pastry has a neutral taste, I’ve had fun filling some with two savory ingredients that, as a good Neapolitan, I absolutely love: sausage and greens.
The addition of buffalo stracciatella gives that extra touch both visually and to the palate.
Try presenting them at an appetizer or buffet and see the success you’ll have!!
Now take a minute to read the recipe and then… Let’s cook and eat!!
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Cooking time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Father's Day
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 3 oz butter
- 4 eggs
- 1.1 lbs greens (cleaned)
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- as needed hot chili peppers
- as needed fine salt
- 3 sausages
- 7 oz stracciatella (buffalo)
- 6 fresh chili peppers (for garnish – optional)
Tools
To prepare St. Joseph’s Zeppole with Sausage and Greens, you will need:
- 1 Piping bag
- 1 Star nozzle
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Cooling rack
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Sieve
Steps
The preparation of St. Joseph’s Zeppole with Sausage and Greens involves two main steps: preparing the choux pastry-based zeppole and preparing the filling, after which you just need to assemble everything.
To prepare St. Joseph’s Zeppole with Sausage and Greens, start with the choux pastry.
In a saucepan, place the water, salt, and butter pieces. Once the butter has melted and the water comes to a boil, add all the sifted flour at once. Lower the heat and, with the help of a spatula, stir the mixture until the flour is fully incorporated.
Transfer the dough to a bowl to cool, then add the eggs one at a time, not adding the next until the previous one is completely absorbed by the dough.
Transfer the mixture into a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle.
On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, form various zeppole roughly 3-4 inches in diameter, ensuring they are spaced apart as they will expand in the oven.
Bake the zeppole in a preheated static oven at 392°F for the first 10 minutes, then lower the oven to 356°F and continue baking for another 25 minutes, with the last 3 or 4 minutes with the oven door slightly open (just insert the handle of a wooden spoon between the oven and the door).
Once baked, let the zeppole cool on a cooling rack.
In the meantime, focus on the filling.
Start by cleaning the greens, making sure to pick the smallest and most tender tops.
Wash the greens under running water, and once drained, add them to the pan where you have sautéed garlic, oil, and chili pepper.
Cook the greens until they are fully softened and flavored. Adjust the salt and set aside, keeping warm.
In the same pan where you cooked the greens, add the crumbled sausages, removed from their casings.
Let them brown in their own fat without adding more oil.
Once the sausages are cooked, you just need to assemble everything.
Take the zeppole, cut them in half like a sandwich, and fill the base with a layer of greens, add the crumbled sausage, and close with the zeppole cap.
On top, add some buffalo stracciatella, a bit more sausage and greens, and if you like, finish your St. Joseph’s Zeppole with Sausage and Greens, with a small whole chili pepper as a garnish.
Now you just need to enjoy them!! 😉
