 For Catholics that means St Joseph's Day. In the Catholic religion, St Joseph was the "Foster Father" of Jesus, husband of the Virgin Mary. This is primarily an Italian Holiday. If there’s one food St. Joseph’s Day deserves to be as famous for as its Irish counterpart for, it’s zeppole, sometimes spelled zeppoli or called sfinge di San Giuseppe. These small doughnuts are usually dusted with sugar and can be filled with jelly, custard or ricotta cream like the kind in cannoli.  |
| Honey, Cinnamon or Powdered Sugar, serve warm these were grandma's favorite! She called them Crispelles, her Region was Rome, Italy. A little late since her own traditions with these were always made on Christmas Eve, but they reminded me of the fried Zeppole for St. Joseph's Day so I wanted to make them in her honor. Served in paper bags at many feasts and carnevales by Regions, so many different variations. Hers were made with raisins, pine nuts or plain. Make a few of each sure to please everyone!  |
1/3 cup or rum
1 package dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups milk
1 egg
1/2 cup pine nuts
Oil for frying
Toppings:
Honey
Cinnamon and sugar mixture
Powdered sugar
Soak the raisins in the rum overnight.
Mix the yeast in the 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl. Add a pinch of sugar and set aside.
The yeast mixture should begin to bubble and foam in 5 to 10 minutes.
Put the flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Stir in 1-1/4 cups milk.
Add the egg and mix well.
Add the yeast mixture and the remaining milk.
Continue stirring until smooth. The batter will be a very thick and slightly lumpy.
(At this point you can split the dough into half to make some plain)
Stir in the raisins with the rum and pine nuts.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm area.
Allow the batter to rise for about 3 hours.
Heat a large deep fry pan with oil around 2 inches deep to 375 degrees or if you have a deep fryer.
Stir in the raisins with the rum and pine nuts.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm area.
Allow the batter to rise for about 3 hours.
Using a tablespoon to make these with spoon the batter into hot oil, you may need another spoon to slip the donut easily into the oil. Fry these cripelle until a light golden brown, checking the first one before making the rest so that you know it is cooked all the way through and the oil is at the right temperature. While the fritters are still warm, heat honey in a small saucepan then dip the crispelle into the honey, place on a large dish. For more variations, in a small paper lunch bag add cinnamon and sugar while fritters are still warm shake in sugar proceed the same way using powdered sugar. Best eaten while still warm. If you prefer a cream puff baked dough, you can also refer to the link at the bottom below, that will give you more dough alternatives to make some different style pastry.
MOM's Recipe:
1 1/3 cup flour
1 packet rapid-rise dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
1/2 cup raisins soaked in rum or brandy for a few hours
For Frying
2 to 3 cups vegetable or canola oil
Placed yeast in warmed 1/2 cup milk ( which is warmed up to feel luke warm on the wrist )
Using an electric mixer, beat eggs.
Add sugar and mix well, beat in vanilla.
Add the milk with the yeast and mix well.
Slowly add the flour (The dough should end up having the appearance of a very soft dough, if a touch more flour is needed, add it).
Mix in the drained raisins into the soft dough.
Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and place it in a lightly greased container or bowl (Should be high enough for the dough to rise in, and it should be covered with plastic wrap, and a wet towel).
Keep the container in a warm room.
Let the dough rest for about 1 1/2 hours (The dough should double in volume).
Heat up the vegetable oil in a deep frying pan. To find out if it's warm enough for the fritters place a piece of bread in it, if and when it sizzles then it is warm enough.
Take a piece of dough and using a large spoon drop rounded pieces into oil, fry till golden brown then drain on paper towels. Fritters only taste good the same day, freeze some if you won't eat them all before adding the honey.
While fritters are still warm, heat honey till boiling and lemon colored, dip the fritters in the honey.
Place the crispelle in a large bowl honey coated and serve.
Stir in the raisins with the rum and pine nuts.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm area.
Allow the batter to rise for about 3 hours.
Heat a large deep fry pan with oil around 2 inches deep to 375 degrees or if you have a deep fryer.
Stir in the raisins with the rum and pine nuts.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm area.
Allow the batter to rise for about 3 hours.
Using a tablespoon to make these with spoon the batter into hot oil, you may need another spoon to slip the donut easily into the oil. Fry these cripelle until a light golden brown, checking the first one before making the rest so that you know it is cooked all the way through and the oil is at the right temperature. While the fritters are still warm, heat honey in a small saucepan then dip the crispelle into the honey, place on a large dish. For more variations, in a small paper lunch bag add cinnamon and sugar while fritters are still warm shake in sugar proceed the same way using powdered sugar. Best eaten while still warm. If you prefer a cream puff baked dough, you can also refer to the link at the bottom below, that will give you more dough alternatives to make some different style pastry.
MOM's Recipe:
1 1/3 cup flour
1 packet rapid-rise dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
1/2 cup raisins soaked in rum or brandy for a few hours
For Frying
2 to 3 cups vegetable or canola oil
Placed yeast in warmed 1/2 cup milk ( which is warmed up to feel luke warm on the wrist )
Using an electric mixer, beat eggs.
Add sugar and mix well, beat in vanilla.
Add the milk with the yeast and mix well.
Slowly add the flour (The dough should end up having the appearance of a very soft dough, if a touch more flour is needed, add it).
Mix in the drained raisins into the soft dough.
Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and place it in a lightly greased container or bowl (Should be high enough for the dough to rise in, and it should be covered with plastic wrap, and a wet towel).
Keep the container in a warm room.
Let the dough rest for about 1 1/2 hours (The dough should double in volume).
Heat up the vegetable oil in a deep frying pan. To find out if it's warm enough for the fritters place a piece of bread in it, if and when it sizzles then it is warm enough.
Take a piece of dough and using a large spoon drop rounded pieces into oil, fry till golden brown then drain on paper towels. Fritters only taste good the same day, freeze some if you won't eat them all before adding the honey.
While fritters are still warm, heat honey till boiling and lemon colored, dip the fritters in the honey.
Place the crispelle in a large bowl honey coated and serve.
Try these other delicious versions of awesome fritters and fried zeppole doughs for the upcoming St. Joesph's Day in March 19th (mom always use to say: "Don't forget to wear red!"
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| St. Joseph's Day Pastry with Mom's Version with Creamy Cannoli Filling |
St. Joseph's Day Celebration Treats
+claudia lamascolo Author
