2 tb Butter 1 pn Salt 1 c Flour 3 Eggs, whole 1 Egg yolk Vegetable oil - for deep frying 1/2 c Confectioners sugar
As made in Naples for the Feast of San Giuseppe, these crullers are piped
from a pastry bag into ring shapes. After being fried, their centers are
filled with pastry cream and cherry preserves. PUT BUTTER AND SALT into a
saucepan with 1 cup water. Boil until butter dissolves. Off heat, dump in
flour all at once and stir rapidly to mix. Return pan to medium-high heat
and cook, still stirring rapidly, until mixture is smooth and begins to
coat bottom and sides of pan. Remove pan from heat and, one at a time, add
eggs and extra yolk, stirring briskly until each addition is absorbed. Let
mixture cool to room temperature. Put confectioners sugar into a brown
paper bag. Heat deep-frying oil to 375F. Using 2 teaspoons, drop in nuggets
of dough about the size of a small walnut. Fry a few at a time for 5-to-6
minutes each. As they cook, the zeppoli will rise to the surface, turn over
when their bottom halves are golden brown, and finally rupture slightly and
puff further as the interior dough expands. Remove them from the oil when
golden brown, firm, and hollow inside. (Check one from the first batch, and
if the interior is at all soggy, cook the rest longer.) Drain zeppoli
briefly on paper towels, then toss in the bag with confectioners sugar.
Serve at once.
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