Imagine a crispy and golden bite on the outside and soft, fragrant, and slightly spicy inside, encapsulating the authentic and genuine flavor of Naples.
What am I talking about? The zeppoline with rapini, small clouds of leavened batter, perfectly fried and filled with the unmistakable and slightly bitter taste of rapini sautéed with garlic, oil, and chili pepper.
They are the ideal appetizer for a dinner with friends, a rustic aperitif, or a simple savory snack that will immediately make you feel like you’re in a Neapolitan fry shop.
Preparing them at home is easy and quick, then arm yourself with patience and wait for the batter of water, flour, and yeast to rise before diving spoonfuls into the boiling oil.
Now take a minute to read the recipe and then…let’s cook and eat!!
See also
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients
- 1.06 cups water
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp dry yeast (or 9 g of fresh yeast)
- 2 tbsps pecorino cheese (grated)
- to taste fine salt
- 3.5 oz rapini (in a pan)
- to taste peanut oil
Tools
- 1 Pan
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Saucepan for frying
- 1 Slotted Spoon
- 1 fry drainer
Steps
The recipe for zeppoline with rapini requires that the sautéed rapini are already prepared, HERE you can find the instructions to prepare them.
Once ready and cooled, finely chop the rapini with a knife and set aside.
Now focus on preparing the batter. In a bowl, collect the flour and dry yeast and mix.
Add the flour, a little at a time, to a bowl with water and mix with a hand whisk until you get a smooth batter without lumps.
Season the batter with a pinch of salt and add the rapini and grated pecorino cheese.
Mix well, ensuring that the rapini are evenly distributed in the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled.
Once risen, take the dough and, with the help of a teaspoon, scoop small amounts and drop them into the hot oil. Fry a few zeppoline at a time, turning them in the oil to achieve an even cooking.
When they are golden, remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a fry drainer to lose excess oil.
Let them cool slightly before adding a bit of salt on top and enjoy 😉.
Storage
The zeppoline with rapini are best eaten fresh to fully appreciate their crispness. However, you can also freeze them and, when ready to consume, put them for a few minutes (still frozen) in an air fryer or oven at 392°F.
