Sfingi di San Giuseppi

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Indulge in the sweet tradition of St. Joseph's Day with sfingi —a flaky pastry filled with a sweetened ricotta cream (sfingi). These are a must for Italian Father's Day!

Prep Time20

Cook Time6

Filling and Decorating30

Total Time56

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: pastries

Calories: 296kcal

Author: Marie Pinto Bialek

Equipment

Parchment paper I find this makes it easy to transfer the pastries to the hot oil
2 large piping bags
2 star tips To pipe the pastries and to pipe the filling (in a pinch, you can use a plastic storage bag with the corner snipped off)
deep fryer or large deep pot for frying

Ingredients

For the Pastry Shells

1 cup water
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
4 large eggs

For Frying the Pastries

8 cups Vegetable oil

For the Ricotta Filling or Topping

2 cups ricotta
1/2 cup powdered sugar plus more for topping
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips for topping
12 cherries for topping (maraschino or Amareno)
1/4 cup pistachios chopped, for topping

Instructions

Prepare

Cut twelve to sixteen parchment paper squares (about 4 inches by 4 inches [~10 cm]) and set them aside. (You may need up to sixteen squares, Depending on how large you pipe your pastries.)
Set two large piping bags inside large cups: one fitted with a large open star tip (such as Ateco 824, Ateco 826, or Wilton 1M) for the dough and the other with a large round tip (such as Ateco 808, Ateco 809, or Wilton #12) for the topping/filling. This setup makes it easier to fill the bags later with the pastry dough and the topping/filling.
Line a large plate with paper towels to store the zeppole after frying in the next step.

To Make the Dough

To make the dough, combine water, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Once boiling, add the flour and sugar all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cook the flour paste until it forms a ball, leaves a thin film on the pan, and steams heavily for about 1–2 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated. I use a hand mixer for this. The dough should be smooth and shiny.
Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and let the dough cool about 10 minutes before piping.
Heat vegetable oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 350°F (175°C).
Pipe small rounds of dough (~3 to 3.5-inch circles) onto the parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, leaving some space between each one to allow for expansion during frying. The large open star tip, such as Ateco 828 or 829 (or Wilton 1M), creates defined ridges that help the choux hold its shape and puff evenly.
Carefully transfer the parchment paper with the piped zeppole into the hot oil, with the parchment paper side up. The zeppole will easily detach from the paper as they fry.
Fry the the zeppole until golden brown and puffed up, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Turn them halfway through cooking to ensure even browning.
Transfer them to a wire rack to drain so steam doesn’t soften the shells; if you’d like them extra crisp, place the fried pastries in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–8 minutes to dry them further.

To Make the Ricotta Cream and Fill

Mix ricotta cheese and powdered sugar until smooth in a mixing bowl.
Once the zeppole has cooled slightly, pipe the ricotta filling over the top of each one.
Sprinkle mini chocolate chips and chopped pistachios over the top of each zeppola, top with a cherry, and dust the zeppole generously with powdered sugar.

Notes

Cook time will be longer since you will probably have to fry these in batches (6 minutes is the estimate for each batch, which is most likely three maximum).

Tips for crisp edges:

Add eggs gradually: You may not need the full amount. Stop once the dough becomes smooth, glossy, and thick enough to hold the ridges when piped.
Dough consistency: The choux should be thick and paste-like. If the dough is too soft, the piped ridges may disappear during frying.
Dough temperature: If the dough feels very soft after piping, refrigerate the piping bag or piped pastries for 10–15 minutes to help them hold their shape.
Oil temperature: Fry at about 350°F (175°C) so the exterior sets quickly and the pastries keep their definition.
Piping tip: Use a large open star tip with deep ridges for the most defined shape.

Nutrition