Updated: 4:29 p.m.I just spoke with Gail Ciampa, whose recipe below originally called for draining the ricotta overnight, asking, "What if I just find this recipe the day I want to make them?" She said that fresh ricotta, bought in a cheese shop, is much wetter than the tubs found in supermarkets. You don't need to drain them. So just pour off any liquid, perhaps draining the cheese in the fridge while you assemble and bake the dough.
In 2005, Providence Journal Food Editor Gail Ciampa worked out and tested this recipe for the beloved cream-filled Italian pastry of St. Joseph's Day.
Here's Gail:
...Making zeppoles does require thought a day before you want to serve them. My favorite recipe, shared here from Bastianich, requires draining the ricotta for the cream filling overnight to make sure it's not too watery. (This is only true of fresh ricotta; see the note above.)
Her recipe also calls for candied orange and lemon peels rather than simple zests from the peels. And this is my favorite part of making the zeppoles -- not only for the added flavor in the cream, but for the lovely aroma it gives my kitchen the night before. (See the accompanying story on how to make your own candied peels.) When I put the candied peels in the grinder for grating the next day, the fragrance again made the room smell like a citrus grove.
Zest could be substituted for the candied peels if you like.
You can also alter this cream to your taste. I prefer to add less chocolate and a tablespoon less than the three recommended of Grand Marnier. I also add whipped cream to give the filling more substance once you put it in the zeppole. They are best eaten the day they are made.
I found it preferable to bake them than to deep fry the zeppoles. I liked the way they looked and tasted and the fact I had more control over the size and shape. It also makes for a healthier pastry.
ZEPPOLE DI SAN GIUSEPPE
Adapted from Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich (Alfred A. Knopf)
For the filling
3 cups fresh ricotta (or grocery store whole milk ricotta)
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier (or other orange-flavored liqueur)
1/4 cup candied orange peel, ground or grated OR 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup candied lemon peel, ground or grated OR 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup small chocolate chips (or bittersweet chocolate chopped into small pieces)
1/2 cup whipped heavy cream
For the zeppole
1 cup water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unbleached, unsifted flour
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
6 cups vegetable oil (if frying)
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
If you use fresh ricotta: The day before cooking, spoon the ricotta into a large, fine-mesh colander lined with a double thickness of cheesecloth or coffee filters. Set it over a bowl and cover the ricotta well. Leave in fridge overnight to drain, or up to 24 hours. Discard the liquid in the bowl.
Make the candied citrus peels, recipe below, or use 1 tablespoon each of orange and lemon zest in the filling recipe.
When ready to make zeppoles, blend the ricotta and half a cup of confectioners' sugar in a food processor with the metal blade until creamy. Add Grand Marnier and pulse. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and stir in the candied fruits (or zest) and chocolate chips. Fold in the whipped cream. If the mixture is not firm enough, whip more heavy cream and fold in. Cover and put in fridge.
To make the zeppole, Bring the water, sugar and salt to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the flour all at once and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon over low heat until the dough leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball around the spoon. This doesn't take long. Remove from heat and working quickly, beat in one egg at a time until the batter is smooth after each egg addition. Add the orange and lemon zest and continue beating with wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
For the baked version, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a non-stick spray to lightly grease the paper. Drop the batter in tablespoons on the sheet. They'll look like little cream puffs when done. If you want larger zeppoles, use two tablespoons which will also allow you to make shapes with the batter. I made mine round with cut-outs in the middle, almost like doughnuts.
Bake in 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes, until medium golden brown. The zeppoles should feel light when lifted off the sheet. Cool completely.
If you want to fry the zeppoles, use a deep fryer or fill a heavy saucepan on the stove top. Bring oil to 350 degrees. Drop a tablespoon at a time into the oil and cook. You can fit four or five in pan at time. Turn them over to cook on all sides for 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and cool.
Slice zeppoles in half and add cream. Top with confectioners' sugar and serve. Add cherries if you like.
Makes 8-10 zeppoles, depending on the size.
Preparing candied fruit peels
The Gourmet Cookbook, edited by Ruth Reichl and published by Houghton Mifflin, is a treasure trove for basic recipes and cooking tips. In it, I found a recipe for Candied Grapefruit Peel, and I adapted it for lemons and oranges.
But first, here are the two most important tips.
-- Don't cut back on the blanching. Though blanching the peels five times may seem excessive, each go-around gets rid of more bitterness and softens the peel. It also makes your house smell great.
-- Keep an eye on the peel as it absorbs the sugar syrup. Take it off the heat when a small amount of syrup still remains in the pan. If all is absorbed, the syrup will crystallize. But if you take it off too soon, the peels won't firm up and will stay gooey.
CANDIED CITRUS PEELS
Wash fruit well. Use a potato peeler to remove fruit peels in strips.
2-3 oranges or lemons (about a cup worth of peels)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
Put cold water in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the peels. Slowly bring the water to a boil over moderate heat. Boil for 1 minute and drain. Repeat this blanching procedure four more times. Drain and set aside.
Combine sugar and water in a heavy skillet and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add peel and continue stirring until most of the syrup is absorbed, about 8 to 10 minutes. Turn peel onto wire rack set up in a shallow baking pan lined with wax paper to catch the syrup. Or pluck each piece out with tongs and put on waxed paper.
Dry, uncovered at room temperature, until they are not sticky anymore.
To make the zeppole cream, grate or preferably grind the peels. These proportions will produce a little more than 1/4 cup of the ground peels.
You can also dip the peels into chocolate or coat in superfine sugar for a snack.
To make ahead: the candied peel keeps in an airtight container for one week.
Originally posted at 11:45 a.m.
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