Zeppole di San Giuseppe

Zeppole di San Giuseppe are traditional Italian filled pastries made for the Feast of St. Joseph and to celebrate Father’s Day, which is celebrated in Italy on March 19th. Made using an eggy choux pastry, they are delicate and light with a bright lemon flavor in the pastry cream that helps to cut through the richness. Baked and fried versions of zeppole are both common;we stick to the oven to make these simple yet decadent treats easy to make at home. Whatever you do, don’t forget the tart, sweet Amarena cherry on top and a touch of powdered sugar to pull together a traditional zeppole to make Giuseppe proud. 

What is choux pastry?

Choux pastry is a delicate pastry dough made from flour, butter, water (or milk), and eggs. It’s not quite as dense as a dough but not as light as a batter, so when it bakes it fluffs up with a firm exterior and slightly hollow interior, making it perfect for filling. Sweet and savory applications of choux pastry exist, with gougeres (savory) and cream puffs (sweet) being the most well known.

What are Amarena cherries?

Amarena cherries are wild Italian sour cherries grown in Bologna and Modena that are generally found bottled in a thick, sweet syrup. Unlike Maraschino cherries that are sweet, Amarena cherries are more tart and acidic. If you can’t find Amarena cherries, Maraschino or brandied cherries are good substitutes. If you have extra Amarena cherries, they are perfect for an Old Fashioned or served on top of ice cream.   

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Using a wet finger to smooth each zeppole before baking helps seal the top and bottom of the dough and means they will  puff up perfectly when baking. 

Make ahead

The pastry cream can be stored in an airtight container, with plastic wrap or buttered parchment paper placed directly on the surface, and refrigerated for up to three days. The zeppole dough can be made up to two hours before using. Keep the dough in a sealed pastry bag or press plastic wrap again the dough to prevent a skin from forming.