The ZEPPOLE DI SAN GIUSEPPE are pastries very popular in the Vesuvius area and were once prepared directly in the streets. There are various theories about the origin of this sweet, attributed both to the nuns of San Gregorio Armeno and to those of the Croce di Lucca, and to those of Lo Splendore, always in Naples. The first written recipe dates back to 1837, in Ippolito Cavalcanti’s treatise on Neapolitan cuisine.
They are generally prepared for Saint Joseph’s Day (March 19), so they have become a typical pastry for Father’s Day. The main ingredients are flour, sugar, eggs, butter, pastry cream, a dusting of powdered sugar and preserved sour cherries (amarene) for decoration.
In Neapolitan tradition there are two variants of St. Joseph’s zeppole: fried and baked. In both cases the zeppole are circular with a central hole about 3/4 inch in diameter and are garnished by covering them with pastry cream and topping with preserved sour cherries. Some pastry shops also fill the zeppola internally with the same cream, departing from tradition.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6-8 zeppole
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: St. Joseph's Day
Ingredients
- 5/8 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 eggs (medium, room temperature)
- 2 cups milk
- 4 egg yolks (medium)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp cornstarch (maize/cornstarch)
- 1 lemon
TOOLS FOR ST. JOSEPH’S ZEPPOLE
- 2 Piping bag
- 2 Saucepans
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
PREPARATION: ST. JOSEPH’S ZEPPOLE
In a nonstick saucepan put the water, the butter and the pinch of salt and, stirring with a wooden spoon, bring to a boil.
As soon as the water starts to boil, remove the pan from the heat and sift the flour in all at once. Continue stirring with the wooden spoon until the mixture is compact and free of lumps.
At this point return the pan to low heat and keep stirring until the dough pulls away from the sides and bottom of the pan.
Turn off the heat, transfer the choux pastry to a bowl and let it cool completely.
Once the dough has cooled well, start adding one egg at a time. Be careful to add the next egg only when the previous one is fully absorbed. If after incorporating the two eggs the mixture appears too stiff, add a beaten egg little by little, adjusting the quantity until you reach the right consistency.
The mixture should be smooth, glossy and free of lumps.
Transfer the choux pastry into a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and, using the piping bag, pipe a spiral about 3 inches in diameter.
Bake in a preheated oven at 428°F for 10 minutes and then at 356°F for another 20-25 minutes.
When they are well golden, turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar to let the steam escape and keep the zeppole inside for about 5-10 minutes.
Remove the zeppole from the oven and let them cool completely.
Put the milk with the lemon zest (taking care not to include the white pith, which would make it bitter) and bring to a boil.
In a large bowl beat the egg yolks with the sugar until well combined, then gradually add the cornstarch and mix until incorporated.
Once combined, set aside.
As soon as the milk reaches a boil, remove the lemon zest and pour it in a thin stream, little by little, into the egg mixture, whisking quickly by hand to temper the eggs and prevent curdling.
Return the mixture to the stove over low heat and continue cooking, stirring with a whisk or wooden spoon until it thickens.
When the custard begins to simmer, add the lemon juice and continue stirring until you reach the desired thickness. Be careful at this stage, as the cream will thicken further once cooled.
Once cooked, place it in a bowl, cover it directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the surface and let it cool completely.
Whisk the pastry cream again to make it smooth, then put it into a piping bag fitted with a star tip and decorate your baked zeppole with the cream, placing a preserved sour cherry (amarena) in the center of each.
