Food Fare Recipes


Cakes, Pastries & Pies >  Italy >  Zeppole >

 

Zeppole

Zeppole (St. Joseph's Day Cake)St. Joseph's Day Cake;

Also known as Bigne di San Giuseppe

Heat the vegetable oil to 375-degrees F in a deep-fryer. In a saucepan, mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Stir in eggs, ricotta cheese and vanilla. Stir gently over low heat until well combined. Batter will be sticky. Drop batter by tablespoons into hot vegetable oil. Fry until golden brown, about three or four minutes. Drain in a paper sack and dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

 

Variation: Prepare as directed but add a dollop of chocolate or vanilla pudding (or both) on top of cake (as pictured above).

 

History Note: St. Joseph ("San Giuseppe") is a celebrated religious icon in Italy. He was credited with preventing famine in Sicily in the Middle Ages, when his prayers for rain during a draught were answered. The people prepared a bountiful feast for St. Joseph in gratitude, which included breads, cakes, cookies, fava beans and wine. Today, St. Joseph's Day (March 19th) is marked by giving food to the needy.

 

*Zeppole image (C) Calcagnile Floriano (2008). Used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

 

Food Fare: Italian RecipesRelated Links:


Quick Menu

 

HOMERecipes | News & Updates | About Food Fare | Contact | Site Map