Carla Caruso’s zeppole recipe
I have many fond memories of cooking with my nonna (or Italian grandma). One thing you could always count on her bringing out at Christmastime was zeppole. (Deep-fried dough balls for the uninitiated.)
These weren’t like the fancy ones you get at cafés, but Calabrese, peasant-style, imperfectly-shaped ones, using basic ingredients. Some she ‘Australian-ed’ up by poking in some apricot jam before frying; others she kept savoury by adding in an anchovy. It was pot luck whatever you grabbed from the tray; she never thought to separate the flavours! Nonna’s not around anymore, so she won’t know I’ve tweaked her recipe a little, going with strawberry jam and cheese options instead...
Zeppole (makes about two plates full)
INGREDIENTS
4 cups plain flour
2 cups lukewarm water (more or less as needed)
1 sachet dry yeast
½ teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
Oil for frying
Jar of strawberry jam to spoon from
Cheese of your choice, cut into cubes (a variety that’ll melt well)
METHOD
Begin by dissolving the sugar in a cup of lukewarm water. Add in the dry yeast and wait for it to foam (the sugar aiding this process).
In a large bowl, chuck in the flour and add the water, mixing the dough by hand. Add the salt, pepper and remaining cup of lukewarm water, a little at a time, as needed, to achieve a soft dough. Mix well and work for about five minutes.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then a tea towel, and place in a warm, draught-free area of the kitchen to allow to rise. Full rising should take about two hours.
In a fry pan (or wok, if it’s easier!), bring your oil to frying temperature. (Drop a tiny piece of dough into the oil; if it rises up quickly and begins frying, it’s ready.) Using two spoons, take a small glob of dough and poke either a spoonful of jam or small cheese cube into the centre. Try covering up the filling as best as you can, then drop the ball into the hot oil. (Be careful not to stand too close in case of oil splatter. And don’t use too much dough for each zeppola or they won’t cook well on the inside.)
Repeat until your frying pan is three-quarters full, so there’s room for the zeppole to grow. Remove when they’re golden all over, and drain on paper towels. The jam ones I also rolled in a plate of sugar first (sorry to get all fancy, Nonna). Serve warm, and try not to finish a whole plate single-handedly!
Pssst, have you read the Winter Heat anthology featuring Carla Caruso…
And guess what? It’s free at the moment!
These weren’t like the fancy ones you get at cafés, but Calabrese, peasant-style, imperfectly-shaped ones, using basic ingredients. Some she ‘Australian-ed’ up by poking in some apricot jam before frying; others she kept savoury by adding in an anchovy. It was pot luck whatever you grabbed from the tray; she never thought to separate the flavours! Nonna’s not around anymore, so she won’t know I’ve tweaked her recipe a little, going with strawberry jam and cheese options instead...
Zeppole (makes about two plates full)
INGREDIENTS
4 cups plain flour
2 cups lukewarm water (more or less as needed)
1 sachet dry yeast
½ teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
Oil for frying
Jar of strawberry jam to spoon from
Cheese of your choice, cut into cubes (a variety that’ll melt well)
METHOD
Begin by dissolving the sugar in a cup of lukewarm water. Add in the dry yeast and wait for it to foam (the sugar aiding this process).
In a large bowl, chuck in the flour and add the water, mixing the dough by hand. Add the salt, pepper and remaining cup of lukewarm water, a little at a time, as needed, to achieve a soft dough. Mix well and work for about five minutes.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then a tea towel, and place in a warm, draught-free area of the kitchen to allow to rise. Full rising should take about two hours.
In a fry pan (or wok, if it’s easier!), bring your oil to frying temperature. (Drop a tiny piece of dough into the oil; if it rises up quickly and begins frying, it’s ready.) Using two spoons, take a small glob of dough and poke either a spoonful of jam or small cheese cube into the centre. Try covering up the filling as best as you can, then drop the ball into the hot oil. (Be careful not to stand too close in case of oil splatter. And don’t use too much dough for each zeppola or they won’t cook well on the inside.)
Repeat until your frying pan is three-quarters full, so there’s room for the zeppole to grow. Remove when they’re golden all over, and drain on paper towels. The jam ones I also rolled in a plate of sugar first (sorry to get all fancy, Nonna). Serve warm, and try not to finish a whole plate single-handedly!
Pssst, have you read the Winter Heat anthology featuring Carla Caruso…
And guess what? It’s free at the moment!
Here’s the blurb:
Six sizzling fun-size chick lit stories – and guess what? It’s absolutely FREE at the moment!
Wish Upon a Star by Sarah Belle
Abby can’t wait to marry her gorgeous fiancé, Xander – until she realises they’ve never had an argument. How can she expect their marriage to weather life’s storms when their relationship has never truly been tested?
A Friend in Need by Laura Greaves
When her best friend announces that it’s not possible for people in committed relationships to have single friends of the opposite sex, Megan is determined to prove her wrong. But are her feelings for her boyfriend’s best mate, Rye, purely friendly – or is Megan playing with fire?
The Reject Club by Carla Caruso
Tired of being rejected in both her personal and professional lives, Maya has retreated to her grandmother’s seaside cottage to clear her head. The last thing she needs is a man to complicate matters – especially one as alluring as Garrett…
The Getaway by Vanessa Stubbs
When Dominique heads to the Tasmanian wilderness with husband Ricky, it’s a make-or-break weekend for their struggling marriage. Is Ricky the same man she fell in love with – or is rugged Cal what she really needs?
Bad Things Come in Threes by Belinda Williams
First her marriage collapsed. Then she lost her job. Wynter isn’t sure whether she can cope with another disaster. And when Marty enters her life, she doesn’t know whether he’s the best thing to happen to her – or the very worst.
Songbird by Samantha Bond
Washed-up pop star George would do anything for another crack at the big time, and when he discovers talented young singer Annabella he sees his chance. There’s just one problem: Annabella’s feisty mother, Catherine.
And if you want to buy it one little click here’s the Amazon link:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Winter-Heat-sizzling-fun-size-stories-ebook/dp/B01HQJK1S8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467507813&sr=8-1&keywords=winter+heat+carla+caruso
Here’s a bit more about the lovely Carla:
Carla Caruso was born in Adelaide, grew up amid a boisterous extended Italian family – yet somehow managed to become a bookworm...
Carla always wanted to be a novelist, annoying the kindergarten teachers by dictating long, detailed stories to them. It just took her a while to realise her childhood dream - journalism seemed a more practical course. Her media career has included stints as a newspaper and magazine journalist, government PR and fashion stylist. These days, she works as a freelance journalist and copywriter. She began seriously writing fiction three years ago when she went freelance full-time.
The romance genre appeals as she is a sucker for rom-coms (especially if Channing Tatum is in the mix) and likes to think her Italian ancestry means she lives with passion. Hobbies include watching trashy TV shows, fashion (her mum named her after Carla Zampatti!), astrology and running.
Six sizzling fun-size chick lit stories – and guess what? It’s absolutely FREE at the moment!
Wish Upon a Star by Sarah Belle
Abby can’t wait to marry her gorgeous fiancé, Xander – until she realises they’ve never had an argument. How can she expect their marriage to weather life’s storms when their relationship has never truly been tested?
A Friend in Need by Laura Greaves
When her best friend announces that it’s not possible for people in committed relationships to have single friends of the opposite sex, Megan is determined to prove her wrong. But are her feelings for her boyfriend’s best mate, Rye, purely friendly – or is Megan playing with fire?
The Reject Club by Carla Caruso
Tired of being rejected in both her personal and professional lives, Maya has retreated to her grandmother’s seaside cottage to clear her head. The last thing she needs is a man to complicate matters – especially one as alluring as Garrett…
The Getaway by Vanessa Stubbs
When Dominique heads to the Tasmanian wilderness with husband Ricky, it’s a make-or-break weekend for their struggling marriage. Is Ricky the same man she fell in love with – or is rugged Cal what she really needs?
Bad Things Come in Threes by Belinda Williams
First her marriage collapsed. Then she lost her job. Wynter isn’t sure whether she can cope with another disaster. And when Marty enters her life, she doesn’t know whether he’s the best thing to happen to her – or the very worst.
Songbird by Samantha Bond
Washed-up pop star George would do anything for another crack at the big time, and when he discovers talented young singer Annabella he sees his chance. There’s just one problem: Annabella’s feisty mother, Catherine.
And if you want to buy it one little click here’s the Amazon link:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Winter-Heat-sizzling-fun-size-stories-ebook/dp/B01HQJK1S8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467507813&sr=8-1&keywords=winter+heat+carla+caruso
Here’s a bit more about the lovely Carla:
Carla Caruso was born in Adelaide, grew up amid a boisterous extended Italian family – yet somehow managed to become a bookworm...
Carla always wanted to be a novelist, annoying the kindergarten teachers by dictating long, detailed stories to them. It just took her a while to realise her childhood dream - journalism seemed a more practical course. Her media career has included stints as a newspaper and magazine journalist, government PR and fashion stylist. These days, she works as a freelance journalist and copywriter. She began seriously writing fiction three years ago when she went freelance full-time.
The romance genre appeals as she is a sucker for rom-coms (especially if Channing Tatum is in the mix) and likes to think her Italian ancestry means she lives with passion. Hobbies include watching trashy TV shows, fashion (her mum named her after Carla Zampatti!), astrology and running.