Rocco Gizzo
Zeppole is light, golden Italian fried dough made for eating warm. Put it out when people are coming over and let the table do the rest. It fits naturally into a Christmas Eve seafood spread. I grew up around food that was generous, unfussy and meant to be shared, and that is still how I like to cook. The goal is not to turn dinner into a production. It is to make something you are excited to eat and proud to put in the middle of the table. Cook it the way you like it, pour something good and do not overthink the rest. Mangia! If you are looking for a dessert that feels worth making without turning the kitchen into a project, Zeppole fits the bill.
Dessert
Italian Zeppole
Italian Zeppole is the kind of dessert worth saving room for—fun to make, even better to eat, and made for sharing.
Ingredients
- 330 g flour about 2 cups
- 4 g salt about 1 tsp
- 17.5 g sugar about 1 tb
- 4 g yeast about 1 tsp
- 8.5 g EVOO 1 tb
- 300 g warm water about 2.25 cups
- Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Add the yeast and sugar to about 75% of the water, and set aside for the yeast to bloom (about 10 minutes).
- In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Pour the water/yeast mixture and the EVOO into the flour. Using a wooden spoon, mix until fully combined (you want a really thick pancate batter consistency). If the batter is too thick, continue pour the remaining 25% of the water little by little until desired consistency is reached. Then cover and set aside at room temperature for 1.5 hours.
- Pour oil into a pot about 3/4 the way up, and heat to 350º. Then using two spoons (see notes below), scoop out each Zeppole and transfer to the hot oil. Fry in batches for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- While the Zeppole are frying, add a few tablespoons of powdered sugar to a large bowl. In batches, transfer the cooked Zeppole to the bowl and dust with more powdered sugar. Toss until fully coated and then serve warm!
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